Sports Direct acting finance boss Matt Pearson resigns
Embattled retailer Sports Direct today revealed that its acting chief financial officer is quitting, just weeks after its chief executive resigned.
The group – which saw founder and Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley step in to replace Dave Forsey as chief executive last month – said Matt Pearson was leaving at the end of the year to take a role with another firm.
Sports Direct said Herbert Monteith, an “experienced and long-standing” member of its finance team, has been appointed as interim head of finance, which is not a board position.
The moves comes after the retailer warned last week over a profits hit from the tumbling pound, which sparked concerns that Pearson was still employed on an acting basis and that the group had not moved to appoint a permanent finance chief.
Sports Direct has been embroiled in controversy in recent months, with Ashley hauled before MPs to be grilled over working conditions, the company hosting a tumultuous “open day” at its headquarters and Forsey quitting as its chief executive.
Ashley said today: “Matt has been a valued member of the Sports Direct family for over nine years and he will be a loss to the company. I wish him all the best for the future and would like to thank him for his time at Sports Direct.”