Footasylum taps former Gymshark executive Hannah Mercer as CEO

UK footwear and sportswear retailer Footasylum has announced the appointment of Hannah Mercer as its new chief executive officer. Mercer, who will officially assume the role at the start of May, joins the Rochdale-based company from British activewear brand Gymshark.

At Gymshark, Mercer served as global general manager for wholesale, retail and franchise. In that capacity, she held global profit and loss (P&L) responsibility and led the brand’s strategic international expansion across various commerce channels, driving market-share gains and profitable growth.

Extensive industry experience

Mercer brings over three decades of experience in the premium, fashion and sportswear sectors. Before her tenure at Gymshark, she spent more than six years at German sportswear giant Adidas, where she held several senior global vice president roles. Her responsibilities there included leading global retail strategy and operations across the brand’s most significant markets and key cities.

Earlier in her career, Mercer held leadership positions at US sportswear brand Nike, luxury department store Harrods, British retailer House of Fraser and Value Retail.

Stephan Rahmede, senior representative of Aurelius WaterRise, described Mercer as a “highly credible retail leader” with a deep understanding of how brand and community engagement drive commercial excellence.

Strategic growth and omnichannel expansion

The appointment comes as Footasylum continues to execute a growth strategy focused on its streetwear proposition and omnichannel capabilities. The retailer, which was acquired by investment firm Aurelius in August 2022, has recently expanded its international footprint into the DACH and Gulf regions.

In the UK, the company has focused on opening new and upsized stores in key locations, supported by expanded funding from HSBC UK. This capital is intended to facilitate both the store rollout programme and an increase in warehousing capacity.

“Footasylum is a brand with a powerful identity, a highly engaged customer base and a unique position in youth culture,” Mercer stated. She noted that she sees “significant opportunity for further growth, both in the UK and internationally”.

The retailer maintains a digital-first marketing approach, supported by a creative team of 40 people based in a 16,000 square foot studio in Manchester. Founded in 2005, Footasylum operates over 65 stores in the UK.