Metro Brands has appointed Uttam Kumar as Chief Product Officer. He has taken charge of the company’s product strategy and merchandising functions.
Kumar has brought over two decades of experience across India and the APAC region, working across product strategy, merchandising, and retail transformation. He has handled initiatives related to margin expansion, digital innovation, and growth across multi-market environments.
In his new role, he has led the overall product strategy and merchandising function at Metro Brands. He has focused on strengthening portfolio relevance and improving speed-to-market. He has also worked with cross-functional teams to build scalable product capabilities aligned with profitable growth.
Prior to this, Kumar has served as Senior Vice President – Product & Merchandising at Bata India, where he has led enterprise-wide merchandising strategy and product roadmap. He has also held leadership roles across APAC and Southeast Asia, working on business performance and omnichannel capabilities. His experience has included the use of AI-led forecasting, digital product lifecycle management, and merchandising frameworks to optimise inventory and improve consumer relevance.
“We are delighted to have Uttam on board as Chief Product Officer. His deep expertise in product strategy and merchandising aligns strongly with our vision of accelerating growth across our portfolio. His proven ability to enhance margins and scale product functions across markets will be instrumental as we continue to evolve our offering and strengthen our connection with consumers.” – Nissan Joseph, CEO, Metro Brands
“I am excited to join Metro Brands Ltd. at such a dynamic phase of its growth journey. The company has built a strong legacy and brand equity in the Indian footwear market. I look forward to working with the team to further elevate product innovation, deepen consumer-centricity, and build agile and future-ready merchandising capabilities.” – Uttam Kumar, Chief Product Officer, Metro Brands
