JD Sports Fashion is reportedly investing in its resources for development in Germany, to rapidly spread its stores across the country as well as Austria and Switzerland.
The British sports fashion retailer moved into Germany in 2013 with the acquisition of a majority stake in Isico, a sneaker retailer established by Marc and Vincent Isichei. The stores were converted to JD and the brothers continued to run the business, but the latest company reports indicate that they have stepped down as managing directors.
JD confirmed that the brothers are no longer part of the management because they reached the end of their five-year term as managing directors. The decision to depart was amicable and they remain shareholders in the business, JD adds. Simon Rider, international managing director at JD, has become managing director in Germany. He is very familiar with the German sports retailing business since he ran Karstadt Sports, until the end of 2016, after other executive functions at Foot Locker and Adidas, among others.
Textilwirtschaft reports that the British retailer intends to spread the JD brand around the German-speaking countries, for which it has appointed Henric Dittmer in charge of expansion. He previously held similar functions at S. Oliver and Tchibo, according to his LinkedIn profile. The development of the JD brand in Germany was previously headed by Marc Isichei.
JD declined to comment on this reported appointment and potential expansion, but confirmed that its German head office moved from Berlin, where Isico was established, to Cologne. The retailer said that Cologne better reflects the center of gravity for its business in Germany.
Cologne is the location for JD's largest store in continental Europe, at least when it was opened in 2016 on a surface of about 1,500 square meters. As reported by Textilwirtschaft, it's one of the aspects of the strategic development plan to open larger stores in order to have more space for apparel.
JD Sports previously suggested that it saw potential for about 250 stores around the country. This compares with a portfolio of 213 stores under the JD brand in continental Europe on Feb. 3, which marked the end of its latest fiscal year – after 54 stores were added in the previous fiscal year.
