Sandeep Kataria, the man behind Bata’s transformation from a household name in India to a stronger global player, is stepping down from the corner office. As the first Indian to hold the top job at Bata Corporation worldwide, his departure marks the end of a significant chapter for the Swiss-headquartered footwear giant.
But he’s not dashing off just yet — Kataria will stay on for another six months, helping ease the leadership transition and keeping the wheels turning smoothly while the company searches for its next captain.
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From Baby Products to Brogues: A Career Full of Pivots
Kataria didn’t take the straight path to the shoe business. His résumé reads like a crash course in consumer behavior across wildly different sectors:
- Unilever: Nearly two decades spent navigating the world of baby diapers, toothpaste, and shampoos — with stints across sales, brand-building, and international roles.
- Yum! Brands: He traded consumer goods for crispy chicken, heading marketing for KFC and Pizza Hut in India.
- Vodafone India: Then came telecom, where he steered brand and strategy, selling not buckets or beauty products, but data plans and network promises.
From FMCG aisles to fast-food counters to mobile towers, Kataria’s career has been anything but boring — and it culminated in leading one of the most iconic footwear names on the planet.
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