Decathlon has announced the appointment of Javier López as its new chief executive officer. Executive director in charge of Decathlon’s value chain since October 2022, López—who has been with the group since 1999—succeeds Barbara Martin Coppola, who had held the role since March 2022.
Javier López – Decathlon
The leadership change comes just days after Julien Leclercq, son of Decathlon founder Michel Leclercq, was named chairman of the board.
“I would like to thank Barbara Martin Coppola for her impactful work over the past three years. Today, Decathlon is an increasingly recognised sports brand around the world—for its products, commitments and positive impact. As Decathlon enters a new chapter in its journey, I have complete confidence in Javier López and his natural ability to unite teams around our ambition, identify new levers for sustainable growth and further strengthen our unique, human-centred and inclusive culture,” said Julien Leclercq in a company statement.
Unlike his predecessor, who came to Decathlon from Ikea, López is described internally as a “true Decathlonian.” Over his 26-year tenure, he has held a range of leadership positions in digital, logistics and retail operations.
He notably led Decathlon Germany from 2012 to 2015 before becoming CEO of Decathlon Spain, a post he held until 2022.
Founded in 1975 by Michel Leclercq, a cousin of Auchan founder Gérard Mulliez, Decathlon remains a core brand within the Mulliez family empire. The company’s board had previously been chaired by Mathieu Leclercq, Julien’s brother, until 2018, when Fabien Derville took over.
Regularly ranked among France’s most beloved retailers, Decathlon found itself under scrutiny in early January following reports by investigative media Disclose and France 2’s “Cash Investigation”, which accused the brand of benefiting from forced Uyghur labour in China.
Decathlon responded by firmly condemning “any form of forced labour.” The French sporting goods giant employs over 100,000 people and operates over 1,700 stores in more than 70 countries.
The company posted €15.6 billion in revenue in 2023, up 1.15% from 2022. Its 2024 results are expected to be announced soon.
