Jan Antonín Baťa

Who was Jan Antonín Baťa?

Jan Antonín Baťa was a Czech shoe manufacturer from Uherské Hradiště, half-brother of Tomáš Baťa.

After his half-brother Tomas' death Jan Antonin Bata headed the Baťa company and in 1931 it became for the first time a joint stock company – Baťa a.s. based in Zlín, former Czechoslovakia.

Under Jan Bata's administration implemented growth plans for the Baťa business and expanded further – into shoe machinery, tires, textiles, chemicals, mines, canals, a railway, film studios, manufacture of airplanes, department stores.

When Jan became owner and chief executive officer, the Baťa organization employed 16,560 people, maintained 1,645 shops and 25 enterprises. Most of it in Czech lands and Slovakia. The international businesses of the Baťa company consisted of 790 employees, 132 shops and 20 international enterprises.

During his and Cipera's management the Czech part of the business more than doubled its size to 38,000 employees, 2,200 shops, and 70 enterprises. In Slovakia, he grew the business from 250 employees to 12,340 and 8 enterprises.