JD Sports chair Andy Higginson has stepped down after reportedly pushing for chief executive Régis Schultz to be removed from the business.
According to the Financial Times, Higginson made representations to JD Sports board members arguing that Schultz should be replaced, following a period in which the retailer has faced slowing sales and pressure in North America.
However, the move did not secure unanimous support from the board, while majority shareholder Pentland is understood to have continued backing Schultz.
Pentland owns around 55 per cent of JD Sports.
JD Sports confirmed last week that Higginson would leave his role at the conclusion of the company’s AGM on 21 July 2026, with independent non-executive director Darren Shapland set to become interim chair until a permanent successor is found.
The retailer insisted there was no disagreement over Schultz’s position. A JD spokesperson told Alliance News that Higginson and the board had mutually agreed it was the right time for a change of chair, adding that there had been “no disagreement” over the board’s continued support for the CEO.
Higginson, a former Tesco executive and ex-Morrisons chair, joined JD Sports in July 2022 after the departure of long-serving executive chair Peter Cowgill. His tenure was marked by a push to strengthen the retailer’s governance and control systems, as well as the continued international expansion of the business.
JD said Higginson had overseen the transformation of its governance framework, alongside the global growth of the JD brand, with around 40 per cent of the business now in North America.
The boardroom tensions come during a more challenging period for the FTSE 100 retailer, which has been hit by softer demand in parts of its core market and ongoing pressure in the sportswear sector.
In January, JD Sports said group like-for-like sales were down 2.1 per cent in the 48 weeks to 3 January, while UK like-for-like sales fell 4 per cent over the same period. The business said it still expected full-year profit before tax and adjusting items to be in line with market expectations.
Schultz said at the time that JD had traded against a “volatile consumer backdrop”, with demand softening in early December, particularly in the UK and Europe. However, he pointed to an improved performance in North America, where the retailer returned to like-for-like sales growth during the period.
Higginson’s exit will place renewed focus on JD Sports’ leadership structure and succession planning as Schultz continues to steer the business through a more subdued sportswear market.
The retailer is due to publish its full-year results on 7 May.
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