JD Sports activities is laying out a plan to enhance company governance

The JD Sports activities emblem seems on the skin of a retailer in London, UK, November 17, 2021. REUTERS / Could James

June 22 (Reuters) – British retailer JD Sports activities Style (JD.L) on Wednesday unveiled plans to revise its company governance construction and inner controls after a evaluate led to the departure of longtime boss Peter Cowgill final month .

The corporate, which introduced plans with its outcomes for the yr ending January 29, had an annual revenue that greater than doubled from final yr to £ 654.7 million ($ 800 million) on account of excessive demand for its sports activities gear. informal put on. Its shares rose 3.4 per cent.

JD Sports activities fired CEO Cowgill final month, saying its inner governance and management had not stored tempo with the corporate’s development. The group has been run by Cowgill since CEO Barry Bown stepped down in 2014.

The UK’s largest sportswear retailer has been investigated by the competitors regulator for varied points, together with its relationship with Footasylum and the costs of soccer kits. Learn extra

JD Sports activities mentioned it has accomplished a evaluate and has a plan to rebuild its administration, danger and management atmosphere, which incorporates separation of the roles on the high.

“The method of recruiting a CEO is underway with various high-caliber candidates at varied phases of consideration,” mentioned interim chairman Helen Ashton. “A course of to recruit a brand new non-executive chairman can be progressing.” Learn extra

The evaluate additionally confused the necessity for a extra skilled board of administrators, the corporate mentioned.

The British Competitors and Market Authority (CMA) tentatively discovered earlier this yr that JD Sports activities, together with a rival, violated competitors regulation on Rangers FC commodity costs.

It additionally fined the group together with Footasylum £ 4.7 million for conferences that the regulator mentioned broke an order stopping the 2 merged corporations from additional integrating.

($ 1 = 0.8181 lbs)

Reporting by Amna Karimi and Yadarisa Shabong in Bengaluru; Edited by Shailesh Kuber and Anil D’Silva, Elaine Hardcastle

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