JD appoints first ever Global Managing Director to help further drive growth

Sportswear giant JD Sports has appointed Michael Armstrong as its first ever Global Managing Director, a newly-created role to help further drive the group’s growth and meet its ambition to become the "leading global sports-fashion powerhouse".

Armstrong will report to group Chief Executive Officer Régis Schultz, overseeing the strategic direction of the JD brand, its operations and colleagues, alongside the continued business development and growth of the JD fascia globally.

Armstrong first joined JD in 1995 as a store sales assistant in the Glasgow store, and has held a number of key and senior roles. He was most recently Group Buying Director from 2014 until March 2023, controlling all product strategy across JD, Size and Fashion Brands connected to the JD Group.

At the Group’s capital markets day in February 2023, JD set out details on its growth strategy and key objectives for the next five years which include:

• Double digit revenue growth
• Double digit market share in key regions
• Double digit operating margin
• Significant expansion of the JD brand internationally, notably in North America and Europe
• Capex of £500 million to £600 million per annum with 50% to 60% of spend focused on store expansion in underpenetrated markets with 250 to 350 new JD stores per annum
• Cash generation from operating activities of £1 billion per annum

Speaking about Armstrong's appointment, Régis Schultz, CEO of JD, said: “Michael has been pivotal in the Group’s success to date, and brings unrivalled knowledge and understanding of our consumer to our management team. With a keen eye for strategic opportunities and ever-changing customer trends in sports athleisure, he is respected by colleagues and brand partners as one of the leading market authorities on what works and why, making him the right person to take the JD brand through its next chapter of growth.”

The business recently appointed former ASOS chairman Ian Dyson as a non-executive director. Dyson also joined the sports fashion giant's Audit and Risk Committee and Remuneration Committee.