Dr Keith Hellawell was appointed non-executive Chairman in November 2009.  He is currently non-executive Chairman of Goldshield Group PLC, a marketing-led, British pharmaceutical and Consumer Health company, which he joined in May 2006.

Dr Hellawell has over eleven years experience in private sector management serving as a non-executive Chairman or Director of a number of diverse companies including:- 1998/99 Evans of Leeds (property), 2003/06 Dalkia plc (energy) and 2004/06 Sterience Limited (sterilisation plants) both subsidiaries of the French company Veolia Env.

Prior to this, Dr Hellawell has over forty years experience in public sector management being a former Chief Constable of two British police forces. Between 1998 and 2002, working directly for the Prime Minister, he wrote and coordinated the United Kingdom national and international anti drugs policy.

 

Executive Directors
Mike Ashley established the business on leaving school in 1982 and was the sole owner of the business until the Company floated in March 2007.   Mike is the Executive Deputy Chairman and is responsible for developing the vision and strategy of the Company.

Dave Forsey has been with the business for over 20 years, during which he has acquired significant knowledge and experience. He has overall responsibility for the business and is Chief Executive.

Bob Mellors has been the Group’s Finance Director since 2004. A graduate in economics, he qualified with PriceWaterhouseCoopers in London  before joining Eacott Worrall, where Sports Direct became a client in 1982. He was managing partner and head of corporate finance at Eacott Worrall before joining the business.

 

Simon Bentley qualified as a chartered accountant in 1980 and in 1987 he joined Blacks Leisure Group plc where he was Chairman and Chief Executive for 12 years until 2002. Simon chairs and is on the board of a range of companies and organisations. Among these, he is Deputy Chairman of the solicitors Mishcon de Reya and a Senior Trustee of The Leadership Trust.  He has lengthy experience of the sporting goods industry and is a Director of the UK’s leading five-a-side football centre operator, Powerleague.

 

Malcolm Dalgleish was appointed a Non-Executive Director of the Company on 25 October 2007.  He is currently head of retail in the Europe, Middle East and Africa area at CB Richard Ellis.  In 2005 CBRE acquired Dalgleish – the leading retail real estate services specialist in the UK, which Malcolm founded in 1979 and was the principal shareholder.