Retailer JD Sports has appointed an interim CEO and interim non-executive chair as part of the company’s governance overhaul.
Senior independent director Kath Smith has been appointed as interim CEO. Smith is a former managing director of the Adidas and Reebok brands, and was previously vice president of The North Face EMEA.
Executive chair Peter Cowgill has stepped down from his role and has been replaced by Helen Ashton as interim non-executive chair. Ashton joined the JD Sports board as a non-executive director in November 2021 and has held a range of senior roles including at ASOS, Lloyds Banking Group and Barclays.
Ashton said: “The business has developed strongly under Peter’s leadership into a world-leading multi-channel retailer with a proven strategy and clear momentum. However, as our business has become bigger and more complex, what is clear is that our internal infrastructure, governance and controls have not developed at the same pace.
“As we capitalise on the great opportunities ahead of us, the board is committed to ensuring that we have the highest standards of corporate governance and controls appropriate to a FTSE 100 company to support future growth.”