Sanjay Rao joins Bata India after senior leadership roles at Nike, Guess and Inditex, bringing more than two decades of experience across global retail, fashion and consumer businesses
Bata India has appointed Sanjay Rao as Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, bringing a seasoned retail executive with more than two decades of experience across global fashion, footwear and consumer businesses to lead the company.
Rao joins Bata India after a four-and-a-half-year stint at Nike, where he most recently served as Senior Director, Nike Retail for France and Benelux. In his new role, Rao said his immediate priority would be to listen to the company’s teams, store network, partners and consumers, while placing consumers at the centre of Bata’s business strategy.
From Nike And Guess To Zara
Before joining Nike, Rao spent nearly five years at Guess France, serving as President and Director General. His career also includes a decade with Inditex, the Spanish fashion group that owns Zara, where he held several senior leadership positions.
Rao spent more than seven years as Managing Director and Board Member for Zara and Massimo Dutti in India. He also previously served as Managing Director for North China and held responsibility for South Asia during his tenure with the group.
His earlier career included roles at TJX Companies, Model N and Citi, giving him experience spanning retail, technology and financial services.
International Retail Experience
Rao holds an MBA from INSEAD and a postgraduate diploma in Systems and Finance from T A Pai Management Institute, Manipal.
His appointment comes as Bata India seeks to deepen consumer engagement and sharpen its growth strategy in an increasingly competitive footwear and retail market. With experience across both Indian and international markets, Rao brings a combination of large-scale retail management, brand building and consumer-focused leadership to the role.
