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FICC Patron - Decathlon Ireland CEO given responsibility for UK operations
Elena Pecos has been elevated to chief executive of Decathlon in the UK and Ireland as part of a leadership restructure at the French sporting goods retailer.
Pecos has served as CEO of Decathlon Ireland since 2023 and has now had her remit expanded to the UK as the two territories come under one leadership team for the first time.
Pecos takes over from outgoing UK CEO Eric Mazillier, and Romain Gravigny has also been announced as chief operating office for the UK and Ireland.
“It’s an incredibly exciting moment for Decathlon in the UK and Ireland to come together, and it’s an honour to be leading the way” said Pecos.
“Together with Romain and our teams, we will build upon the great work Eric has delivered to produce a promising 2025, and continue to press ahead with our digital acceleration across the Decathlon UK & Ireland that has brought us closer to our customers and continues to make sport even more accessible to communities across both countries.”
Since joining Decathlon in Spain in 2006, Pecos has held roles in store management and finance leadership in Spain and France, and CFO positions in Chile and within the circular economy team.
Gravigny has been with Decathlon for more than two decades and recently served as CEO of Decathlon in Australia.
In his new role, he will be tasked with driving operational excellence, customer experience, and growth for both markets.
“With strong foundations already in place and ambitious growth plans ahead, it’s a privilege to take on the role of COO at Decathlon UK," said Gavigny.
"Having been a part of the business for over 20 years, I understand the importance of keeping customers at the heart of everything we do and our transformation strategy in-store and online will continue to deliver on our promise of helping everyone discover the wonder of sports.”
Last year, the UK business modernised 15 flagship stores, launched a new e-commerce platform and completed a warehouse automation project.
The company claims turnover across all sales channels rose 15% in the first half of 2025. In Ireland, turnover grew 20% in the first half of the year following the modernisation of one store.
In Ireland, employee engagement reached 86%, circular economy growth was up 85%, and the business has agreed partnerships with Padel LK in Limerick and Na Fianna GAA in Dublin.
Globally, Decathlon has 1,815 stores and reported €16.2bn in turnover lat year. Decathlon UK & Ireland is on track to turnover €460m this year across its 45 stores.
