Bata India taps Nike-Zara veteran Sanjay Rao as MD and CEO

Bata India has appointed retail veteran Sanjay Rao as Managing Director and CEO, succeeding Gunjan Shah after his five-year term. Rao brings deep global experience, having led Nike Retail across France and Benelux and steered Zara's India launch through the Inditex-Tata joint venture.

— Filed Thu, 18 Jun, 2026, 16:58 IST · Source Business Today · Latest · Updated

Bata India appointed retail veteran Sanjay Rao as new MD and CEO, succeeding Gunjan Shah who completes his five-year term. Rao previously led Nike Retail in France/Benelux and helped launch Zara in India via Inditex-Tata JV.