// JD Sports acquires clothing retailer Oi Polloi
// The sportswear giant bought the Northern Quarter shop and online assets
// JD Sports executive chair Peter Cowgill has been named company director
JD Sports has acquired Manchester-based clothing retailer Oi Polloi as it continues its buying spree.
The sportswear giant bought the Northern Quarter shop and online assets while its executive chairman Peter Cowgill has been named as a company director.
Oi Polloi was founded by Steve Sanderson and Nigel Lawson and sells a menswear range from a selection of brands including Beams Plus, Stone Island, Polo Ralph Lauren, Keen and Patagonia.
READ MORE: JD Sports boss Peter Cowgill could step aside
The founders have now stepped away from the business.
JD Sports, which sells big brands like Nike and Adidas, has 400 JD and Size? branded stores in the UK and Ireland, and nearly 2400 sports shops around the world.
In recent years, it has grown its presence with several high-profile acquisitions including Liam Gallagher’s Pretty Green brand, and US sportswear retailer DTLR.
The group’s merger with Rochdale-based Footasylum is currently being reassessed by the CMA.
In February, JD Sports raised £464 million through a placing of new shares to raise M&A funds.
In other news, Cowgill is set to be leaving his role at JD Sports after 17 years.
JD Sports’ board is planning to appoint a chief executive at some point this year to work alongside Cowgill.
The move would then see him eventually relinquish control of day-to-day operations of the retailer and move into a non-executive chairman role.
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