A new Leadership for Decathlon
Founded in 1976, DECATHLON has continued its evolution under the leadership of Barbara Martin Coppola since 2022, with a strategy aimed at becoming a multi-specialist sports brand that acts concretely for people, society and the planet.
Over the last three years, DECATHLON has continued to grow within a difficult context, while achieving a significant -13% reduction in CO2 emissions since 2021, thanks to the substantial development of circular models, the use of decarbonised materials and cleaner energy.
DECATHLON has also evolved its brand identity and renewed its customer experience for greater immersion, both in stores and in e-commerce, which now accounts for 20% of the Group's revenue. In three years, DECATHLON has refocused its brand portfolio and strengthened its collaborations with international athletes and global sports competitions, including the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, for which DECATHLON created the iconic outfit for the 45,000 volunteers.
Finally, the Company has been able to evolve its strategy and model while maintaining a high level of commitment from its teams, with 91% of DECATHLON teammates declaring themselves proud to work there.
Today, DECATHLON is embarking on a new phase in its history, aimed at strengthening its competitiveness and growth, while stepping up its actions to promote access to sport and its universal values wherever it operates.
To lead this new phase of evolution, and as part of Julien Leclercq's assumption of the role of Chairman, DECATHLON's Board of Directors has decided to appoint Javier López as Chief Executive Officer, replacing Barbara Martin Coppola who has held this position since March 2022.
“I would like to thank Barbara for the impactful work she has carried out over the past 3 years. Today, DECATHLON is a sports brand that is increasingly recognised around the world for its products, its commitments and its positive impact. As DECATHLON embarks on a new phase in its history, I have every confidence in Javier and his natural ability to bring people together to drive our ambition, and identify new levers for sustainable growth while further strengthening our unique human and inclusive culture,” says Julien Leclercq, Chairman of the DECATHLON Group.
“Over the past three years, we have initiated a major evolution of DECATHLON, moving from ambition to action. I'd like to thank all our teammates, whose dedication made all of this work possible: we've repositioned the DECATHLON brand by redefining the customer experience in-store and in e-commerce, which now accounts for 20% of our revenue. We have rethought our brand portfolio, signed partnerships with global reach and created new circular economy models. I'm incredibly proud of the progress we've made. I have every confidence in Javier to lead an ever more ambitious company, in the image of DECATHLON,” explains Barbara Martin Coppola.
“I am particularly honoured by the confidence of Julien and the Board of Directors as I take up my new position, and I thank Barbara, with whom I have enjoyed working in the Executive Committee for the past 3 years. As a Decathlonian for 26 years, I'm proud of the work we've done over the years to bring the benefits of sport to more and more people around the world. Together, with all our teammates, we will, with determination, enthusiasm and humility, accelerate our economic development and our efforts to serve our human and environmental commitments,” says Javier López, CEO of DECATHLON.
With 26 years of experience at DECATHLON, Javier López has held numerous positions within the company, in digital, logistics and retail. Most recently, Javier headed DECATHLON Germany from 2012 to 2015, then served as CEO of DECATHLON Spain from 2015 to 2022. Having been the driving force behind the company's strong growth in Spain, Javier was then appointed Global Chief Value Chain Officer in 2022.
BIOGRAPHY OF JAVIER LÓPEZ
A native of Madrid (Spain), Javier López is 49 years old. He is married and is the proud father of 2.
An industrial engineer, he graduated from the Universidad Pontificia Comillas in Madrid.
He joined DECATHLON in 1999, and has held a variety of positions within the company:
- 1999 - 2001: Logistics Department Manager in Madrid.
- 2001 - 2003: Warehouse Manager in Barcelona.
- 2003 - 2005: Warehouse Manager in Madrid.
- 2006 - 2008: Logistics and IT Director at DECATHLON Spain.
- 2009 - 2012: Retail Zone Manager at DECATHLON Spain.
- 2012 - 2015: Chief Executive Officer of DECATHLON Germany.
- 2015 - 2022: Chief Executive Officer of DECATHLON Spain.
- Since October 2022: Global Chief Value Chain Officer.
ABOUT DECATHLON
A global multi-specialist sports brand catering for everyone from beginners to top athletes, Decathlon is an innovative manufacturer of sporting goods for all skill levels. With 101,000 teammates and 1,750 stores worldwide, Decathlon and its teams have been working ever since 1976 to fulfill an ongoing ambition: Move people through the wonders of sport, to help them be healthier and happier in a sustainable future.
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