OSLO, NORWAY: The Board of Directors of XXL ASA has appointed Freddy Sobin as Group CEO. XXL is a Norwegian sporting goods retailer with brick and mortar stores and online stores in the Nordics and Austria.

XXL ASA is the largest and fastest growing sports retailer by revenue in the Nordic region. XXL’s headquarter is located in Oslo, Norway. The company is listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange.

Freddy 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 ASA 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.