Former De Beers CFO Sarah Kuijlaars joins JD Sports board

JD Sports Fashion Plc has appointed Sarah Kuijlaars as an independent non-executive director, effective November 10, 2025, as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen its board oversight and governance structure.

The company said Kuijlaars will also join the audit and risk committee and the nomination committee. She is set to become chair of the audit and risk committee on June 1, 2026, succeeding Ian Dyson, who has been serving in the role on an interim basis since July 2025. Dyson will remain a member of the committee after the handover.

Kuijlaars is currently chief financial officer at Tate & Lyle PLC and has previously held senior finance roles at De Beers Group, Arcadis NV, and Rolls-Royce Holdings plc, as well as a 25-year career at Shell plc.

Following her appointment, JD Sports’ board will consist of eight non-executive directors (seven independent and one not considered independent), a non-executive chair, and two executive directors.

JD Sports’ non-executive chair, Andrew Higginson, said the board was “delighted” to welcome Kuijlaars, describing her as a “valuable addition” to the company’s leadership.

“Sarah’s valuable experience from serving as a finance leader in public companies, along with a deep knowledge of accounting and disclosure requirements and experience of a wide range of governance matters, will further strengthen the existing Board for many years to come,” Higginson said.

He also thanked Dyson for his service during the transition period, acknowledging his “commitment to the role” as interim chair of the audit and risk committee.