JD Sports Fashion plc (LON:JD), a leading global omni-channel retailer of sports, fashion and outdoor brands, has announced that after more than 7 years with JD, Senior Independent Director (SID), Kath Smith, will stand down from her position on the Board from 19 January 2027.
Kath has served on the Board since May 2019 and was appointed Senior Independent Director and Designated Workforce Engagement Non-Executive Director (NED) in February 2022 and led the process to appoint Peter Agnefjäll as non-executive Chair, who joined the Board on 1 September 2026.
Throughout her tenure, Kath was also a member of the Audit & Risk, Nominations and ESG Committees. She also served as interim CEO from May 2022 until September 2022 and on the Remuneration Committee from February 2020 until October 2022.
In her position as Workforce Engagement NED, Kath was actively engaged with colleagues across the Group, including through employee mentoring, and was a committed supporter of JD’s inclusion initiatives, participating in International Women’s Day, ‘JD UP’ and The JD Foundation Gala.
An independent search process to identify Kath’s replacement has commenced.
Peter Agnefjäll, Chair of the Board, said: “I would personally like to thank Kath for her guidance and support during my induction as Chair. Also, on behalf of the Board, I would like to thank Kath for her service, commitment and significant contribution to the business since joining the Board in 2019. We wish her all the best in her future endeavours.”
Régis Schultz, Chief Executive Officer, said: “Kath has offered great counsel and support both to me and the wider business during her tenure as Senior Independent Director. Her extensive experience and deep understanding of our brand partners has been invaluable to JD, and instrumental in helping us to strengthen our Group-wide proposition. On behalf of the senior leadership team, I’d like to extend my sincere thanks to Kath for everything she’s done over the last seven years.”
Kath Smith, Senior Independent Director, commented: “The step change in JD in recent years is significant, with high calibre leadership in place and significant investment across the organisation to build solid foundations for future growth. JD offers a genuinely unique proposition to the market, supported by carefully curated retail destinations and outstanding in-store teams that I have spent a lot of time with in my role.
The business is fundamentally in a strong place and I’m looking forward to watching the next phase of its journey. I’d like to take the opportunity to thank everyone at JD and all its shareholders for their support and engagement throughout my time with the business.”
