JD Sports has announced the appointment of John Mersho as president and CEO of the North American business and Mike Grimes as chief marketing officer for the wider group, effective immediately.
The appointments aim to strengthen the brand’s leadership team as the business plans to leverage the opportunity for significant growth in North America.
The fashion retailer plans to grow its global position as a market leader in sports and outdoor brands within North America.
Mersho has held the role of chief commercial officer for North America since 2025 and was promoted following the retirement of John Hall.
As part of his new role, Mersho will oversee JD’s product proposition and will be in charge of the customer’s omni-channel experience and expand its overall presence.
Grimes has most recently held the position of CMO for the business and worked within the company for nearly twenty years.
Mersho said: “The opportunity to lead the North American arm of one of the most dynamic retailers in the world is rare, and I’m honored to take on the position.
“Our teams have worked hard to build strong foundations for growth across the region, and I’m looking forward to capitalizing on the opportunities that lie ahead. Our focus remains on delivering JD’s differentiated proposition to customers, partnering with the right brands to do so and expanding our presence in the North American market.”
As the wider group CMO, he will manage the long-term direction of the JD brand globally to ensure global consistency with customers across the world.
Additionally, Grimes will help to strengthen the group’s customer proposition by growing the scale of their brands, own-brand portfolio, and global brand partnerships.
The sports fashion retailer is growing its footprint across North America, with over 2,500 stores currently operating.
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