Weekly Digest News from around Bata World

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1 Bata May 29, 2015 Weekly Digest News from around Bata World AT A GLANCE We Are Bata People: Tushar Kant Gupta Sends In an Office Selfie With New Retail Displays, Bata Tennis Hits a Smash for the World to See Bata Retail Race: Special Bonus Weeks Offer Loads of Points Three Special Bonus Weeks have already been launched to challenge contestants in the Bata Retail Race. Q & A with Vincent Lim Human Resources Meeting in Zambia Prioritizes Staff Development Thomas G. Bata Given Warm Welcome in South Africa Bata Malaysia s Long Service Awards Extravaganza Hiking Is a Breeze with New Extraordinarily Lightweight Weinbrenners BCP s First Regional Meeting Generates a Wealth of Ideas From Far and Wide, Merchandising Managers Focus Together on Trends

2 Bata May 29, 2015 Three Special Bonus Weeks have already been launched to challenge contestants in the Bata Retail Race. STORE Bata Retail Race: Special Bonus Weeks Offer Loads of Points After the first surprise week, which focused on non-footwear sales, the second is currently underway with the goal to increase the number of pairs of shoes sold. Again, the number of points contestants earn depends on the percent increase they achieve. Teams that do well in meeting this important goal will quickly climb up the rankings. But another special initiative has also started, and this one won t end until June 28. This time the challenge is exclusively for district managers. The winners will be district managers who are successful in having all the members of all their store teams download the Bata Retail Race app. The proof will be photos of the teams showing their cell phones with the downloaded app. An incredible 100 points per district are up for grabs! But the store teams will benefit too, as the app will let each member of the team feel the thrill of the race and check their current standing and points. Roberto Longo, president for customer service, commented: The Bata Retail Race has really excited all the sales teams around the world. We ve had some companies that have really stepped on the gas, but I have to say that participation has been extraordinary in general. As always, success lies in the involvement of teams. Here too, district and store managers are really doing excellent teamwork. But the finish line is still far off, and there will be many more surprises before we get there. The first Special Bonus Week awarded 50 points to all the stores and district managers that exceeded 5 percent SEST in the Diversity category. Results were outstanding in all the companies, especially in Europe, Africa, South Asia and Asia-Pacific.

3 Bata May 29, 2015 As international franchising manager at Bata Singapore, Vincent Lim's role is a varied and complex one. INTERVIEWS Q & A with Vincent Lim How long have you been in your current position as international franchising manager at Bata Singapore? I have been with the Bata organization for 13 years; starting as a store manager, then becoming area manager, buyer, operations manager, and then, three years ago, I was appointed as international franchising manager. What is your most important activity in this role? The most important activity in this role is to ensure that we provide the best customer service to our partners in terms of delivering quality products in a timely fashion and supporting them in all operational aspects in setting up Bata stores across different regions. This will enable us to expand faster and become a strong international brand. What do you find most rewarding about your current role? It gives me great joy and fulfillment when a partner opens a new Bata store and informs us of their great success and results. I know that we have done a good job in supporting them. What is the biggest challenge you have faced in your job, and how are you dealing with it? International franchising started in Asia seven years ago, and is therefore relatively new. Currently, we do not make our own collection but depend very much on Bata Shoe Organization companies and China Footwear Services collections. We are getting strong support from them but I do believe that we will continue to open more franchise Bata stores, increase business volumes and eliminate these challenges. How is the franchising concept adapting to the modern marketplace? It is heartening that the Bata organization is strongly supporting international franchising. If you look at most international brands, they are penetrating new territories with the franchise model. An established international brand supported with local expertise is a good formula for success. Is there any advice you would like to give your colleagues in other regions? I would not reinvent any new formula for success but instead remind ourselves of our founder s vision that: Our customer is our master. When we focus on serving our customers well, they will always come back to us.

4 Q & A with Vincent Lim What developments are you currently most excited about in your area? We are currently forging a strong collaboration with the Rhino Project team in providing a core franchise collection and franchise formula for both regions. It requires enormous effort and support from many different channels such as China Footwear Services, the store design team and Bata Shoe Organization companies, and I am happy to say that we are getting it. What is your top priority as franchising manager in 2015? One of my bosses told me: Vincent, do not only think of making profits for your department but also think of how to make profits for your partners because this will help us grow our business faster. That has been my priority ever since. What do you regard as your proudest achievement for Bata so far? I am happy that the organization has given me a lot of opportunities to progress from store manager to international franchising manager. The proudest achievements are knowing that I have done well to deserve all these opportunities. Lastly, what song would you like to hear played on Radio Bata World? "Skyscraper" by Demi Lovato. Bata May 29, 2015

5 Bata May 29, 2015 Bata South Africa was honored to host Thomas G. and Sarah Bata on their recent visit to the country, on a trip involving store and factory visits, meetings with staff and customers, as well as sustainability projects. CORPORATE Thomas G. Bata Given Warm Welcome in South Africa The Batas were greeted by the head office team, including company manager Luis Ernesto Rojas, as well as Hernan Vizcaya, Group managing director for Africa. The trip began with the official opening of the recently renovated Bata store at Greenstone Mall in Johannesburg. Gerry Tham, retail manager, commented: This store was recently renovated into the new Zeus Concept, and the South African team could not miss the opportunity to celebrate the opening ceremony with Mr. and Mrs. Bata. Mrs. Bata, returning to South African shores after 20 years, was cordially welcomed by two young children who presented her with flowers and chocolates, and greeted her in Zulu. The staff were enthusiastic about meeting Mr. and Mrs. Bata, and all took photographs to mark the occasion. Mr. Bata also visited two non-retail sales division (NRSD) customers in the Johannesburg area, both of whom were delighted with the opportunity to discuss business matters. The meeting encompassed the growth and development plans for the Bata brand within their respective retail spaces. the Bata Children's Program South Africa. She commended the new developments in the school, noting a tremendous improvement in the hygiene and new school structure, and also spent time interacting with the children and their teachers. Later in their visit, Mr. and Mrs. Bata visited the Loskop factory, where they were welcomed by folk dancers and presented with traditional gifts. The factory staff were excited to meet Mr. Bata and receive gifts and certificates from him. An official tree-planting ceremony took place to mark Mr. Bata's visit, and a plaque was erected next to the tree as a record of the event. She also presented the school with a check for 150,000 rand, which will provide a kitchen/dining room, where the children will be able to sit and eat as opposed to sitting at their desk. Mrs. Bata also proposed a few suggestions to further improve the school and create a more conducive learning environment. Mr. Bata commented, I am delighted to see the operations, and would like to see other great brands running in the factory in the future. During the visit, Mrs. Bata also visited Qhubekhani Day Care Center near the factory facility, which is a beneficiary of Mr. and Mrs. Bata then concluded their trip with a visit to the head office where they met with all members of staff before their departure.

6 Bata May 29, 2015 On May 22 and 23, Bata Zambia hosted an international meeting for human resources managers from various Bata companies in Africa. CORPORATE Human Resources Meeting in Zambia Prioritizes Staff Development The human resources managers present were: Nyambe Mubita from Zambia, Peter Giathi from Kenya, John Sseggendo from Uganda, Vusi Zuke from South Africa, and Joseph Ndlela and Nora Zhanda, both from Zimbabwe. Prosper Bachi, company manager of Bata Zambia, was also present at the meeting. The participants focused their discussions on the role of human resources in 2015 and the importance of regional synergy. A major catalyst for the meeting, as well as for other important programs implemented by Bata Brands SA such as the Bata Me platform and LinkedIn project, was the recent comment made by Group CEO Jack Clemons, who stated: We have a great plan for 2015 to be the year of people development and training. In line with this objective, participants at the meeting successfully developed country and regional training and development roadmaps. With many exciting programs to be rolled out in the next 12 months, the meeting objectively analyzed where companies had opportunities to improve, and where they were successfully meeting group expectations. Great emphasis was placed on talent management and the many training opportunities offered at the Bata Training Academy in Guangzhou, China. Sseggendo stated: It is an honor to attend a meeting such as this. Opportunities like this help us to standardize common procedures and come up with efficient collaborations among our companies. Zuke added: This was a great chance to share experiences and to better understand the company culture and the role of human resources management in the organization. I look forward to going back home, because expectations have been clearly defined, and management tools have been provided. Now it is up to us to be successful and show the merits of this meeting. A dinner was held to round off the meeting, where attendees conversed and continued to share ideas for the coming year. In closing, Zornetta expressed his keen interest in meeting again within the year, and in pushing forward some of the exciting projects discussed. He sincerely thanked Bachi and his team from Bata Zambia for facilitating the meeting and for their hospitality.

7 Bata May 29, 2015 Bata Malaysia recently honored its employees who have shown their loyalty over many years. CORPORATE Bata Malaysia s Long Service Awards Extravaganza After dinner at a top hotel in Bangkok, nine employees were presented with awards. Having served a remarkable 25 years at the company were Au Kok Ming and Vijaya Kumar anak lelaki K. Govindasamy. Those with 20 years under their belts were Hoi Kuan, Hoi Min and Lim Siew Choo. Finally, Azma Mohd Zain, Muhammad Amhari Muhamad Amir, Yong Lee Choo and Chua Ai Lian marked 15 years with Bata. In his remarks, company manager Paolo Grassi said the event showed how employees are at the center of the Bata philosophy. He thanked and praised all the award recipients for their loyalty to the company and said he hoped they will carry on doing good work and motivating their colleagues. We can have the best product, the best marketing strategy, the best store, but none can be achieved without a properly dedicated and motivated team. We have set ambitious targets for the year 2015, and it will become strategically important this year to have proper teams to focus on the achievement of the target goals, Grassi said. Grassi also noted that more manpower would be needed to reinforce strategic business areas, particularly store operations and merchandising, and commented on the big growth potential in Bata Industrials, e-commerce and Bata Home. The theme of the evening was Colors of Life, and it was indeed a colorful and vibrant celebration. A video showing colorful festivals around the world got everyone in the mood. This was followed by performances put on by various department teams. There were choreographed dances, Elvis Presley impressions and a play. The employees threw themselves into the performances, making them a highlight of the evening. Grassi also presented The One shoe to eight leaders of Malaysian society. Among them was the president of the Olympic Council of Malaysia and president of the Commonwealth Games Federation. Finally, Grassi gave prizes to the bestdressed employees, and others in attendance found themselves lucky winners of door prizes. The event received extensive coverage in the country s Thai and Englishlanguage press.

8 Bata May 29, 2015 An extraordinarily lightweight hiking boot from Weinbrenner made its debut at Bata International s most recent Shoeline Review Meeting. PRODUCT Hiking Is a Breeze with New Extraordinarily Lightweight Weinbrenners The shoe was created by Aloy Tan, Weinbrenner regional product manager, and presented to buyers from around the world by the team from the Shoe Innovation Centre Asia and Africa, also called SICA2. The newly released hiking shoe will be available soon in various countries. While its rugged and tough exterior may look like other hiking shoes on the market, anyone who tries on these Weinbrenners will immediately feel a huge difference. What sets it so far apart from competitors is its super-light weight. This is thanks to the materials used. The outsoles, made of phylon fused with rubber, weigh in at a mere 150 grams. These shoes thus offer the best of both worlds: lightweight comfort and excellent traction. The total weight of the low-cut model is 300 grams, while the high tops are just 330 grams. The upper is constructed with a combination of suede, canvas and textiles. These performance-driven details give the shoe a durable yet flexible skin. And of course these hiking shoes wouldn t be complete without Weinbrenner s signature full memory foam fitted insole for maximum comfort on rocky mountain paths as well as daily city commutes. Our team started with a vision of creating a lightweight hiker shoe and was pleasantly pleased with what we managed to achieve, SICA2 designer Alvin Huang commented. After various rounds of research and ideations, we finally decided on the best concoction of materials and technology to create this hiker shoe. It is a new milestone for us, and our team would like to keep pushing boundaries and innovate newgeneration products. With the highly enthusiastic response from buyers, various models will be available soon and in seasons to come, so customers can truly live outdoors.

9 Bata May 29, 2015 Bata people have always been what makes the organization special. INTERVIEWS We Are Bata People: Tushar Kant Gupta Sends In an Office Selfie How do you fit into the Bata world? What does the photo show? What is the story? I joined Bata in 2008 as a Flagship Concept buyer, and now I am the product category manager for international brands. Bata India is almost like a family, as we spend most hours at work with colleagues. The brand has always inspired me with enormous knowledge and learning platforms, which has helped me grow both personally and professionally. Bata gives enormous opportunities to all its employees to grow in the system if you are hardworking and dedicated to your job. With eight years now spent at Bata, it almost feels like home to me. The selfie was snapped on the fourth floor of our head office in Gurgaon. It helped us get together on the floor and share some moments of fun! We all were quite enthusiastic about getting clicked and struck many poses to get one final best picture out! Who is in your selfie? This is part of the buying team: Pooja Awal Chopra, Manav Manchanda, Archana Pathak, Gulnaz Ansari, Saumya Seth, Harmeet Kaur, Ashwini Chaudhary and me. What do you like most about your job? Each day means new learning for me, even after having spent so many years in this organization. Designing and planning new lines and launches, studying the sales analysis reports, and conducting store visits to directly interact with customers and get their feedback on the categories that I handle are a few of the many reasons that make me love what I do. Want to send in your Bata selfie? Just a few photos you take of yourself, alone or with colleagues, to bwn@bata.com. Show off your creativity! Photos must be horizontal, and be sure to use the largest file size allowed on your camera or phone.

10 Bata May 29, 2015 Creative displays of this spring and summer s collection of Bata Tennis just opened at two major retailers on opposite sides of the globe: Holt Renfrew in Canada and 1300K in South Korea. MARKET TRENDS With New Retail Displays, Bata Tennis Hits a Smash for the World to See The displays designed for Bata Tennis, the Indian canvas shoe that was relaunched in 2014, debuted in quick succession. On April 28, Holt Renfrew gave the Bata Tennis collection a place of prominence in its flagship store on Toronto s Bloor Street. A leading Canadian retailer of international renown, Holt Renfrew was excited about the shoe and the brand s authentic heritage. The large tennisthemed display also reinterprets Bata s red-and-white scheme in an elegant, contemporary way. Meanwhile, on May 11, 1300K launched a Bata Tennis pop-up store in its flagship in the Hongdae area of Seoul as part of its celebration of brands with over one hundred years of history. 1300K is a Korean lifestyle chain for young customers that boasts a strong online presence. The pop-up store, which will have a life of three weeks, is based on the concept of a mini tennis court. In addition to the new contemporary color combinations of the Spring Summer 2015 collection, the original three colors and iconic shoebox of Bata Tennis are showcased in an artful jumble on top of plinths. On the walls of the pop-up, vintage posters and visuals show off Bata s long past, including a portrait of Tomáš Baťa, advertisements from around the world dating back to the shoemaker s earliest days and a photo of a Bata team from the late 1930s. A large plasma screen also plays a video showing the manufacturing process of the Bata Tennis in Batanagar, India. Holt Renfrew is a very exciting opportunity because of their positioning in the market and Bata s Canadian heritage. The pop-up in Seoul is absolutely fantastic too, and it communicates well our historic heritage, global presence and strong values focused on people and service, said Charles Pignal, manager for the Bata Tennis project. We re very excited to be working with such leading retailers in these markets who have made such a great effort in showcasing the brand so well. 1300K CEO Lee Ho Hyuk said, Bata is one of the greatest shoe brands that offers comfort, quality, and affordability. Furthermore, we all hope that the brand will settle in Korea for 10, 20 and more years, like it has in Europe and Asia.

11 Bata May 29, 2015 In mid-may, nearly a dozen coordinators of the Bata Children s Program (BCP) Africa gathered in Lusaka, Zambia for a participatory workshop that resulted in a common action plan. BCP / SUSTAINABILITY BCP s First Regional Meeting Generates a Wealth of Ideas Joined from Switzerland by BCP director Nicole Voillat, the coordinators represented six local BCP teams: Kenya, Malawi, South Africa, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe. On the first day of the meeting, May 11, the coordinators from each country presented the activities and projects they implemented over the past year. Everyone was generous in sharing and commenting on various models and methods, achieving the goal of inspirational cross-pollination. Topics decided on for discussion as a group included internal and external communications, budget, volunteering, monitoring and evaluation of BCP initiatives. The coordinators identified and considered a host of challenges and opportunities. The following day, the workshop shifted its focus to coming up with an action plan, and participants agreed on five bold steps for BCP Africa. These were: promoting child awareness the week of Nov. 20, amplifying internal and external BCP communications, strengthening volunteer numbers through regular induction and recognition, and implementing a mentorship scheme to include job shadowing, career guidance and showing children the workplace. The coordinators therefore left the meeting with a map and a veritable treasure chest of ideas. But before returning to their respective countries, they visited one of BCP Zambia s projects in an impoverished area of the capital. The local team had organized the donation of 300 school shoes to the children s home that is run by Cecily's Fund-Bwafwano Integrated Services. The BCP Africa Regional Meeting was an extremely inspiring, educational and fruitful workshop, commented Mansha Hassamal, coordinator of BCP Zimbabwe. It was an eye-opener to see what other neighboring countries are initiating respectively. I thoroughly enjoyed collective brainstorming of ideas, opportunities, challenges and the way forward as a team. The opportunity to visit one of BCP Zambia s local initiatives was the cherry on the cake. A detailed report of the meeting is available by contacting Nicole Voillat.

12 Powered by TCPDF ( Bata May 29, 2015 The day before the start of Bata International s most recent Shoeline Review Meeting in Guangzhou, China, merchandising managers from 16 Bata companies convened for a timely workshop about trends. The main goal was to help participants build collections by theme, reducing the number of lines in favor of depth per CORPORATE From Far and Wide, Merchandising Managers Focus Together on Trends Trends Workshop for Merchandising Managers was led by ARS Sutoria. Bata worked closely with this international institute, which is dedicated to the art of footwear and leather goods, to develop trend stories for the winter season. And ARS Sutoria collaborated with Bata Latam and China Footwear Services to combine their inspirations and proposals with macro consumer profiles in order to present the workshop participants with not only products but stories. During the workshop, facilitator Elena Marradi unveiled four trend stories, each a presentation on a different trend: the Gourmet, Rock the Gunge, Mash Up, and American Asian Flow. In the afternoon, the 23 merchandising managers were divided into four teams by region, with the task of selecting products to buy. After two hours of teamwork, each group made a final presentation. Personally, I think that this kind of workshop is key to start serious work to help and update knowledge about fashion and markets for the shoe and accessories business, Marradi commented. I think that participants experienced a moment of sharing both with other participants from the same region but also from all other countries and with the facilitator. It is not easy, in my experience, to find such a diverse audience and a real possibility to work directly on trends, consumers and style.