Metro Brands taps ex-Crocs India chief Manoj Juneja as CBO to steer Sports Division
Juneja will lead FILA, New Era, Foot Locker and MetroActiv as Metro Brands sharpens its athleisure play across a 1,032-store, 221-city footprint. The hire signals a more aggressive bet on India's sports and lifestyle category, with Crocs-era playbook expected to shape distribution and brand-building.
What happened
Metro Brands appoints Manoj Juneja, former Crocs India CEO, as Chief Business Officer for its Sports Division, overseeing FILA, New Era, Foot Locker and
Key facts
- 1,032 stores
- 221 cities
- 31 states
- 27 years
Why this matters
The CBO appointment hardens Metro's sports-licensing platform and could presage further brand acquisitions or JV deals as the company builds a multi-label athleisure house to rival Reliance's Performax and Aditya Birla's portfolio.
What to watch
- Quarterly disclosure of Sports Division revenue mix in Metro Brands earnings
- Foot Locker India store opening cadence and SSSG
- FILA India marketing spend / new collection drops
- Senior hires under Juneja (marketing, retail ops, e-comm heads)
- Any M&A or new licensing announcement in athleisure
- Crocs India performance post-Juneja exit as counterfactual
- Expect MetroActiv private-label SKU expansion and dedicated marketing spend within 2 quarters
- Foot Locker India store count acceleration — target 75-100 stores by FY26
- Athlete/influencer endorsement deals for FILA to reposition vs Puma/Adidas mid-tier
- Possible new sports licensing acquisition (e.g., Skechers-adjacent or performance running brand)
- Org build-out: category heads for running, basketball, lifestyle under CBO