The former boss of Ikea has been announced as the new chair of JD Sports as the retailer tries to turn a corner following a period of declining sales. 

Peter Agnefjäll, who spent more than two decades at Ikea, will succeed Darren Shapland as the chair of JD Sports from the beginning of September. 

Shapland was appointed to the job on an interim basis following the abrupt departure of Andy Higginson in April amid a tumultuous period for the business. 

Higginson quit as chair of the retailer ahead of his tenure expiring in July, in line with the firm’s annual general meeting.  

It later emerged Higginson’s departure followed an attempted coup after he failed to convince his board partners that chief executive Régis Schultz should be ousted because of the company's dwindling sales and slow progress in North America.

A number of executives at JD Sports were said to have agreed with Higginson, according to the Financial Times which first reported the news, but the chair did not garner enough backing to avoid being ousted himself. 

The company's majority shareholder Pentland Group threw its weight behind Schultz in a blow to Higginson.

A spokesperson for Pentland Group, which owns JD Sports and Size? in the UK, said at the time that it 'was mutually agreed between Andy and the board that this is the right time for a change of chair; there has been no disagreement about the board’s continued support for the CEO'. 

At the time of his departure, Higginson said he was 'proud of his time' at JD Sports, during which he said he oversaw a 'tough period' in the sportswear market and expanded the brand in the US.

During his career, Agnefjäll has held various board roles, including as a non-executive director at Wizz Air between July 2018 and April 2021, a board member at Deichmann between June 2018 and June 2023, and chair of the board at food retail group Ahold Delhaize. He 

He was also non-executive director at investment firm Orkla and is currently non-executive director of advertising firm WPP. 

Shares in JD Sports rose 0.81 per cent or 0.76p to 94.26p on Friday morning, having risen more than nine per cent in the past year.  

Agnefjäll said in a statement: 'JD has built a powerful global position in sports and sport-inspired fashion, with a unique connection to its core customer, strong brand partnerships, carefully curated and vibrant stores, and a clear, defined omni-channel strategy.

'I am excited to be joining the Group and look forward to working with the Board and leadership team to leverage JD's strengths, deepening its roots in international markets and affirming its position in a rapidly evolving retail landscape.'

The retailer posted a drop in underlying sales for the crucial Christmas period in 2025.