Bata India Limited has formally announced the resignation of Ms. Pooja Minocha, Vice President – Human Resources, effective March 4, 2026. The announcement was made through a regulatory filing dated February 26, 2026, in compliance with SEBI disclosure requirements for changes in Senior Management Personnel.

Resignation Details

The company disclosed the following information regarding the senior management change:

Regulatory Compliance

Bata India Limited submitted the intimation under Regulation 30 of the SEBI (Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2015. The notification was sent to multiple stock exchanges where the company is listed:

• BSE Limited (Security Code: 500043)
• National Stock Exchange of India Limited (Symbol: BATAINDIA)
• The Calcutta Stock Exchange Limited (Scrip Code: 10000003)

Resignation Letter

In her resignation letter dated February 26, 2026, Ms. Minocha addressed the Managing Director and CEO, stating her decision aligns with her career ambitions. She expressed gratitude and wished the management continued success in the future. The resignation follows discussions with the leadership team regarding her career trajectory.

Corporate Governance

The filing was signed by Nitin Bagaria, AVP – Company Secretary & Compliance Officer, ensuring proper corporate governance protocols were followed. The company referenced compliance with SEBI Master Circular No. HO/49/14/14(7)2025-CFD-POD2/I/3762/2026 dated January 30, 2026, indicating adherence to the latest regulatory guidelines for such disclosures.

This senior management change represents a significant transition in Bata India's human resources leadership as Ms. Minocha departs to explore new career opportunities outside the organization.

Bata India Limited showcased signs of recovery in its Q3 FY26 earnings conference call held on February 13, 2026, reporting its first positive revenue growth after several challenging quarters. The footwear retailer achieved a 3% turnover-led growth, accompanied by significant margin improvements and operational efficiencies.

Financial Performance and Key Metrics

The company delivered strong financial results with notable improvements across key performance indicators:

Managing Director and CEO Gunjan Shah attributed the performance to persistent implementation of strategic initiatives, particularly the zero-based merchandising project and elevated marketing investments for the second consecutive quarter.

Zero-Based Merchandising Expansion

The zero-based merchandising (ZBM) initiative emerged as a key growth driver, now scaled to 400 stores across the network. This customer-centric approach showed measurable improvements in critical operational metrics:

• Enhanced inventory turns and product availability
• Reduced turnaround time for store resupply
• Improved consumer choice curation
• 5% performance delta versus non-ZBM stores

The company plans to expand ZBM to its entire network by the end of FY26, with management expressing confidence in the scalability and impact of this initiative.

Brand Performance and Product Strategy

Several brands demonstrated strong performance during the quarter, with Hush Puppies, Power, and Floatz driving disproportionate growth. Hush Puppies, contributing approximately INR 700 crores in retail business and representing 15% to 20% of retail store sales, continues its expansion trajectory.

The company emphasized its focus on product authority and design innovation, with significant investments in reimagining the product creation funnel to enhance consumer appeal and market positioning.

Channel Expansion and Digital Growth

Bata India's multi-channel strategy showed positive momentum across various touchpoints:

Franchise Network:

• Current count: Nearly 2,000 outlets
• Target: 1,000+ stores in next couple of years
• Focus on Tier 3 markets and smaller suburbs

E-commerce Performance:

• Growth rate: 15% in Q3 FY26
• Revenue contribution: Mid-teens percentage
• Bata app launch: 14% of D2C business within 6 months
• Key retail outlets (KRO) network: 2,000+ reach

The corner stores channel, after a year-long rationalization process, demonstrated significant turnaround with both growth and strong margin performance, positioning it as a key growth lever for future quarters.

Operational Improvements and Future Outlook

The company achieved substantial operational efficiencies through its Customer First project, resulting in:

• 25% inventory reduction over two years
• All-time low aged inventory levels
• Improved freshness and availability
• Science-based demand prediction implementation

Management consolidated contract manufacturing partners from 120+ to 60, with plans to further rationalize to 15 partners for better quality control and innovation leverage.

Manufacturing and Export Strategy

Bata India's manufacturing strategy focuses on maintaining in-house production for technology-driven, automated, and high-capex products while outsourcing labor-intensive manufacturing. The company established a dedicated sourcing hub supplying both domestic and global Bata operations.

Export ambitions received a boost from recent FTA agreements, with management indicating significant expansion plans from the current 700,000 to 1 million pairs annually, though specific targets will be shared in upcoming quarters.

The quarter's performance reflects Bata India's strategic transformation efforts gaining traction, with multiple initiatives contributing to improved financial metrics and operational efficiency. The company's focus on customer-centric merchandising, digital expansion, and product innovation positions it for sustained growth momentum.

Source: Bata India Limited Q3 FY26 Earnings Conference Call