Bury-headquartered sportswear retailer JD Sports has appointed Andy Higginson as Chair of the Group, who is set to take up the role on July 11.
Higginson, who grew up in Bury, has over 28 years of experience across the retail industry, including senior leadership roles at Tesco, Manchester fashion group N Brown, Unilever, Guinness, Laura Ashley and Burton Group.
Most recently, he was Chair of Morrisons and is also currently Senior Independent Director at Flutter plc.
His appointment follows an extensive search process after former executive chairman Peter Cowgill quit in May, with Helen Ashton stepping in as interim Non-Executive Chair.
Helen Ashton, interim Chair, said of the appointment: “The Board was impressed with the high-quality candidates that we met throughout the recruitment process. Andy, however, stood out as the best candidate with his extensive Board experience including as a Chair and his strong track record in the international retail sector. It is a testament to the quality and attractiveness of JD that we have recruited Andy to the important role of Chair. JD is a great business with a clear strategy, occupying a unique place in the market and we look forward to working with him on our global development opportunities.”
Andy Higginson, Chair elect, added: “Having closely followed JD’s success over the years, I see it as an exceptional business, with a strong strategic position. The Board has clearly been addressing its governance and risk management structure and I very much look forward to working with the Board and the senior management team, including our new CEO once appointed, to bring my experience to bear and capitalise on the strength of the brands, market positions and channels to market including the global retail store network.”
