Mumbai: Metro Brands Ltd., a footwear retailer, has announced the appointment of Uttam Kumar as Chief Product Officer, strengthening its leadership team as it looks to accelerate growth and enhance product innovation.
Uttam Kumar brings over two decades of experience across India and the APAC region, with a strong track record in product strategy, merchandising, and retail transformation. Known for building consumer-centric product engines, he has consistently driven margin expansion, enabled digital innovation, and scaled growth across complex, multi-market environments.
In his new role, Kumar will lead Metro Brands’ overall product strategy and merchandising function, with a focus on strengthening portfolio relevance and improving speed-to-market. He will also collaborate closely with cross-functional teams to build scalable product capabilities that support sustained and profitable growth.
Commenting on the appointment, Nissan Joseph, CEO, Metro Brands Ltd. said, “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.”
Sharing his thoughts on the new role, Uttam Kumar, Chief Product Officer, Metro Brands Ltd. said, “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.”
Prior to joining Metro Brands Ltd., Kumar served as Senior Vice President – Product & Merchandising at Bata India, where he led enterprise-wide merchandising strategy and product roadmap. His experience also includes leadership roles across APAC and Southeast Asia, where he drove business performance and built omnichannel capabilities.
He is widely recognised for leveraging AI-led forecasting, digital product lifecycle management, and modern merchandising frameworks to optimise inventory and enhance consumer relevance.
