Bata Bangladesh appoints India's Emami Agrotech marketing chief as managing director

Bata Shoe Company (Bangladesh) Limited has appointed Debabrata Mukherjee as managing director. Mukherjee previously worked as the chief marketing and strategy officer at Emami Agrotech, the edible oil and biodiesel arm of the India-based Emami Group.

The company informed through a Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) disclosure on Wednesday that Mukherjee will join Bata Bangladesh on 13 August. At present, Anirban Asit Kumar Ghosh is the company's managing director.

On Wednesday, Bata Bangladesh's shares crossed Tk1,000 apiece at the DSE.

Bata Bangladesh reported the highest-ever revenue in its history for the first half of this year.

The multinational footwear manufacturer attributed the record-breaking revenue to increased consumer spending during Eid festivals when people traditionally buy new clothes and shoes.

The country's branded footwear market leader earned Tk566.64 crore by selling shoes between January and June, posting a net profit of Tk43.87 crore, according to a stock exchange filing.

At the end of the first half, its earnings per share stood at Tk32.07, which was 31% higher than last year.

In Bangladesh, Bata started operations in 1962 and currently runs two manufacturing facilities – one in Tongi and the other in Dhamrai – on the outskirts of the capital, with a production capacity of 1.60 lakh pairs of shoes daily.

Annual shoe sales currently stand at about three crore pairs, according to the company's website. It is a subsidiary of Bafin (Nederland) BV in the Netherlands, which holds 70% of the company's shares and is one of the operating companies of the worldwide Bata Shoe Organisation.

It had paid a 365% cash dividend in 2022, which was the highest payout to the shareholders in its history.