Eric Leemans, chief executive of A.S. Adventure, the Belgian outdoor retailer, was dismissed from the company earlier this month, due to strategic disagreements with Frederic Hufkens, chief executive of the A.S. Adventure Group, which includes the Belgian chain as well as Bever in the Netherlands and Cotswold Outdoor in the U.K. Leemans, who joined in April 2009 after several other functions in retailing and real estate, will not be replaced as chief executive of A.S. Adventure. Dominique Motte, the Belgian retailer's chief financial officer, is taking over the duties of the chief executive as well, and Hufkens will remain a hands-on supervisor, with particular focus on buying. Hufkens stressed that Leemans' departure was due to internal issues and entirely unrelated to the performance of A.S. Adventure, which remains robust. More details in The Outdoor Industry Compass.

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