MUMBAI: The shoemaker is getting new boots at the top.
The Bata Group has announced the appointment of Panos Mytaros as its new global chief executive officer, effective 15 September 2025. Mytaros will succeed Sandeep Kataria, who has led the company since 2020, guiding it through a stormy period marked by the pandemic and sweeping changes in the retail world.
The leadership transition signals a new chapter for the nearly century-old footwear giant. Kataria exits after five years at the helm, during which he turbocharged Bata’s digital shift, modernised operations, and expanded the brand into fresh markets. His tenure laid the foundation for what the company calls its “next phase of growth”.
“Panos is a proven leader with deep industry knowledge and a passion for footwear craftsmanship”, said Bata Group chairman Graham Allan. “His track record in brand building and developing compelling footwear collections, as well as in leading complex international organisations, made him the ideal candidate to guide Bata through our next phase of growth. We are delighted to welcome Panos to the Bata Group”.
Mytaros brings over three decades of experience in the footwear and leather industry. He previously served as Ecco CEO from 2021 to 2024 and held multiple senior leadership roles at the Danish footwear brand before that. Known for balancing design with discipline, Mytaros is expected to drive Bata’s brand-led evolution across its global footprint.
While Kataria’s leadership helped Bata navigate disruption and digitise its business core, the baton now passes to Mytaros, who inherits a leaner, more agile organisation poised to scale globally. The company has expressed its gratitude to Kataria for his contributions and extended a formal welcome to the incoming chief.
With this change at the top, Bata signals that it’s ready to walk confidently into a new era—one foot in heritage, the other in innovation.