Julien Leclercq is succeeding Fabien Derville, bringing leadership back to the founding family, reports sport-guide.com.
French business publication sport-guide.com reports that Decathlon has announced Julien Leclercq as its new Chairman of the Board, to succeed Fabien Derville, who has held the position since November 2018. The announcement was made internally to employees on Feb. 24.
Leclercq is the third member of the founding Leclercq family to assume the role, following Olivier (2009–12) and Matthieu (2012–18). His appointment therefore marks a return to family leadership. Julien Leclercq began his career working at Decathlon stores in Spain in the late 2000s before advancing to a store director role in Belgium in 2010. He later expanded Decathlon’s presence in Singapore in 2012. Most recently, he led Genairgy, an investment fund specializing in sports travel, and helped establish Decathlon Travel.
Derville, the only non-family chairman in Decathlon’s history, played a key role in hiring Barbara Martin Coppola as CEO, to lead the company’s digital transformation.
Read our Decathlon case study: Decathlon – The ugly duckling becomes a swan?
