JD Sports appoints new managing director of EMEA business

JD Group, the parent company of sportswear giant JD Sports, has confirmed the departure of its managing director, Michael Armstrong. It has subsequently announced the promotion of Paul Orange as the new managing director of JD EMEA (UK, Europe, Middle East and Africa).

Armstrong’s exit comes over 30 years after he initially joined JD, and three years after he took on the MD position. In a statement to FashionUnited, JD said Armstong was set to “pursue other opportunities”. “We sincerely thank Michael for his commitment, leadership, and contribution to JD,” the statement continued.

Upon his departure, the company seems to now be dividing Armstrong’s role. Orange, who had been serving as JD’s general manager of EMEA, will now assume full responsibility for the region, leading buying, own brand and marketing efforts, alongside merchandising, digital, support functional leads, and country managers.

The company stated that Orange “brings more than 20 years’ experience with JD and has been integral to our growth journey, including playing a key leadership role in our early European expansion”.

His promotion comes amid a prolonged period of expansion for JD, which, throughout 2025, has sought to grow its presence across the US, as well as Central and Eastern Europe, where it now operates over 65 stores as of July 2025. The period also saw the launch of a new e-commerce platform in Italy, alongside the opening of a distribution centre in the Netherlands, designed to strengthen its European store capabilities.