111 Years Since the Birth of Thomas J. Bata
17. September 2025Today, 17 September, we commemorate the anniversary of the birth of Thomas J. Bata, the son of Tomáš Baťa – founder of the Baťa company.In 1942, Thomas J. Bata assumed a leading role in the Bata organisation. He successfully guided the company through the challenging years of World War II and later stabilised it during the post-war chaos, when the Bata Group lost three-quarters of its scale and value due to the nationalisation of its assets in several European countries. Despite these setbacks, Thomas J. Bata continued to grow the company. By 1981, Bata had reached its global peak – operating in 90 countries, managing 99 factories and 5,700 retail stores, and employing 89,000 people speaking 140 languages and dialects.
The company was then producing around 300 million pairs of shoes annually. On 1 July 1984 – after more than forty years of leadership – Thomas J. Bata stepped down, and the company’s management was taken over by his son, Thomas George Bata.
Over the course of his life, Thomas J. Bata received numerous prestigious awards and national honours. He held many important international positions and remained a close advisor to the Bata company. He also played a key role in founding Tomas Bata University in Zlín, named in honour of his father.
Thomas J. Bata passed away in Toronto, Canada, on 1 September 2008, at the age of 93.