Footasylum has appointed former Gymshark executive Hannah Mercer as chief executive officer, as the retailer looks to accelerate its growth and international expansion.
Mercer will take up the role from the start of May, bringing more than three decades of experience across sportswear, fashion and premium retail.
She joins from Gymshark, where she served as global general manager for wholesale, retail and franchise, overseeing global P&L and leading the expansion of the brand’s physical retail, franchise and wholesale operations across international markets.
Her appointment comes as Footasylum continues to scale its omnichannel model and strengthen its position in the competitive streetwear market.
The retailer has been investing in store expansion across key UK locations, alongside international growth initiatives in the DACH region and the Gulf. It has also secured additional funding from HSBC UK to support its store rollout and increased warehousing capacity.
Prior to Gymshark, Mercer spent more than six years at adidas, holding senior global vice president roles across retail operations, global retail and franchise, and key cities, where she led large-scale retail strategy and store execution across major markets.
She has also held senior roles at Nike, Harrods, House of Fraser and Value Retail, giving her experience across both performance-led sportswear and premium retail environments.
Stephan Rahmede, senior representative of Aurelius WaterRise, said Mercer’s appointment would support Footasylum’s next phase of growth.
“Hannah is a highly credible retail leader with experience building and scaling omnichannel brands across streetwear, sportswear and premium retail,” he said.
“She combines strong commercial discipline with a clear understanding of how category management, brand and community drive engagement. We are confident she will further develop Footasylum’s customer experience as a leading athleisure fashion retailer.”
Mercer said Footasylum’s strong brand identity and connection with youth culture presented a significant opportunity for further growth.
“Footasylum is a brand with a powerful identity, a highly engaged customer base and a unique position in youth culture,” she said.
“With strong momentum across the business, I see significant opportunity for further growth, both in the UK and internationally.”
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