Oslo, 30 November 2022 - The Board of Directors of XXL ASA ("XXL" or the "Company", OSE ticker XXL) has appointed Freddy Sobin as Group CEO of XXL.
Sobin is currently the CEO of KICKS Group, a position he has held since 2018. KICKS is a leading Nordic retailer within beauty products with 230 stores in Sweden, Norway and Finland and strong online presence and growth. It is also a part of the Swedish trade and industrial conglomerate Axel Johnson.
Sobin also knows the sports and outdoor industry well from his almost five-year long tenure as a Chairman of the Board of Outnorth.
“Freddy is one of the most talented retailers in the Nordics when it comes to online and omnichannel strategies. He has broad experience, strong results and is also a well-respected leader. This is exactly what we were looking for when we started the search for a new CEO. We are delighted that Freddy has accepted to join XXL”, says Hugo Maurstad, Chairman of the Board of Directors of XXL.
Sobin is 41 years old and a Swedish citizen. He holds a Master of Business and Administration from Stockholm School of Economics (Handelshögskolan i Stockholm). Before joining KICKS he served as CEO of Consortio Fashion Group, with Bubbleroom as the most known brand, for nearly seven years.
In addition to these merits, Sobin is also an experienced Board Member. He is currently serving on the Board of Svensk Handel, Svenskt Näringsliv and successful retail companies like Salling Group in Denmark and Bubbleroom in Sweden.
"The XXL concept is unique and XXL has built a strong market position in the Nordics during the last 20 years. Health and well-being are strong mega trends in our society. With more than 90 physical stores, and being the largest online sports retailer in the Nordics, XXL is well-positioned to capitalize on these trends. With such a strong foundation in place there are great opportunities to further accelerate the company moving forward”, says Sobin.
“I am already a passionate customer. Now I am looking forward to getting to know XXL from the inside, meeting all new colleagues as well as understanding the culture. I will hit the ground running as soon I join next year”, he adds.
Stein Eriksen, who currently also serves as interim CEO, will return to his position as CFO when Sobin joins XXL.
“We are grateful that Stein has taken on some extra responsibilities in the transition period. We already have an experienced management team in XXL. When Freddy joins the team we are well prepared to take XXL to the next level as the preferred sports and outdoor destination”, says Hugo Maurstad.
Sobin is expected to join XXL at the latest in May 2023.
For further information, please contact:
Press contact:
Andreas Nyheim
Phone: + 47 952 11 779
Email: presse@xxl.no
Press contact Sweden and International:
Anna Svensson
Phone: +46 76 (0)39 83 44
E- mail: press@xxl.se
Investor Relations
Tolle Grøterud
E-mail: ir@xxlasa.com
Phone +47 902 72 959
This information is considered to be inside information pursuant to the EU Market Abuse Regulation and is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to section 5-12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act. This stock exchange announcement was published by Tolle O. R. Grøterud, Investor Relations Officer at XXL ASA, on 30 November 2022 at 08:00 CEST.
About XXL ASA
XXL is a leading sports retailer with stores and e-commerce in Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark and Austria. It is the largest among the major sports retailers in the Nordics. XXL pursues a broad customer appeal, offering a one stop shop experience with a wide range of products for sports, hunting, skiing, biking and other outdoor activities. XXL's concept is to have the largest stores with the best prices and the widest assortment of products, focusing on branded goods.