JD Sports appoints Darren Shapland as interim Chair
JD Sports Fashion has appointed Independent Non-Executive Director Darren Shapland as Interim Chair, following its Annual General Meeting on 21 July 2026.
Shapland takes up the position immediately and will remain in place until the global sports-fashion retailer appoints a permanent Chair, according to a JD Sports’ regulatory announcement from 21 July.
His appointment follows the departure of Andrew Higginson, who announced in April that he intended to step down after almost four years with the group. JD began searching for a permanent successor at that time, with the process led by Senior Independent Director Kath Smith.
Committee roles reassigned
As Interim Chair, Shapland has stepped down as Chair of JD’s ESG Committee but will remain a member.
He has also left the Audit & Risk Committee for the duration of his interim appointment. Non-Executive Director Sarah Kuijlaars has chaired that committee since succeeding Ian Dyson on 1 June 2026.
Shapland joined the JD board in June 2023 and has extensive experience across retail leadership, financial management and ecommerce operations. He trained as an accountant at Burton Group and later held senior roles at Superdrug and Sainsbury’s.
He served as Sainsbury’s Chief Financial Officer from 2005 to 2010 before becoming Group Development Director. His other previous positions include CEO of home furnishings retailer Carpetright and Chair of Poundland and NotOnTheHighStreet.
Higginson leaves after four years
Higginson joined JD as Chair in July 2022 following the departure of former Executive Chairman Peter Cowgill. During his tenure, JD refocused on sports fashion, strengthened its governance and control systems, expanded overseas and bought out minority interests in subsidiaries.
His planned exit came after reports of a disagreement over Chief Executive Régis Schultz. JD said the change had been mutually agreed with Higginson and denied any dispute over the board’s continued support for Schultz.
The leadership transition comes as JD manages subdued demand across parts of its international business. For the year ended 31 January 2026, revenue was £12.66 billion, while profit before tax and adjusting items came in at £852 million, down from £923 million.
