Footasylum appoints new chairman as John Wardle retires

By

Barbara Santamaria

Published
Jun 4, 2018

UK footwear retailer Footasylum has announced that Barry Brown has taken over the role of executive chairman, succeeding John Wardle, who will retire.

Brown has been working with the fashion and footwear chain in a consulting role since March, after being revealed as new chairman last year. His appointment follows Footasylum’s admission to AIM in November last year.

Brown is well known in the fashion sports sector, having worked at JD Sports for over 30 years, where he served as chief executive from 2000 until 2014. His predecessor at Footasylum, John Wardle, joined the company in 2008 as its CEO and moved to executive chairman in 2015.

Commenting on the board changes, Clare Nesbitt, CEO, said: "We are delighted to welcome Barry to the board. He hits the ground running having spent the last three months getting to know the company in a consulting role and we know that he will contribute materially to the next phase of the company's development.

“We would also like to place on record our great appreciation to John Wardle and to recognise the key role he has played in driving the company to where it is today. We wish him a peaceful and enjoyable retirement."

With over 65 stores across the UK, Footasylum is a leading footwear and streetwear fashion retailer, targeting millennials with everything from high-profile trainer to performance apparel. In addition to its store estate, it operates a fast-growing e-commerce platform and a wholesale arm.