Andrew Higginson is stepping down as chairman of JD Sports Fashion after the group’s July 21 AGM — a surprise departure that raises questions about leadership continuity at one of the world’s largest sportswear retailers.
JD Sports Fashion Chairman Andrew Higginson will leave the group after its annual general meeting on July 21, the British sportswear retailer said on Wednesday, according to Reuters. Analysts described the departure as unexpected.
Darren Shapland, an independent non-executive director, will become interim chair once the AGM concludes, serving until a permanent appointment is made. The board has already begun searching for Higginson’s successor.
Higginson has been chair since 2022, a tenure that saw JD Sports expand its international footprint — around 40 percent of the group’s business now comes from the US. He is also credited with strengthening its corporate governance framework. Before joining JD Sports, he had a long career as a senior executive at Tesco and later served as chair of Morrisons.
The timing adds pressure on a business already navigating a difficult trading environment. JD Sports reported a decline in underlying Christmas sales in January, and its shares have fallen 9.5 percent since the start of the year, leaving it with a market capitalisation of £3.7 billion ($5.0 billion, approximately).
