Mumbai, June 18 -- Rao succeeds Gunjan Shah, who will step down upon completing his five-year tenure at the helm of the footwear major.

Rao brings more than two decades of retail and consumer leadership experience across India, South Asia, China and Europe. He joins Bata India from Nike, where he most recently served as senior director, Nike Retail, overseeing the France and Benelux markets.

Prior to Nike, Rao spent several years with Inditex and played a key role in establishing Zara's business in India through its joint venture with the Tata Group. He later held senior leadership roles across India, South Asia, and China. Rao has also served as Country Director for Guess in France and holds an MBA from INSEAD.

Panos Mytaros, Chief Ex...