Dick Johnson has announced his retirement and is stepping down from his role as president and chief executive officer at Foot Locker, Inc. at the end of this month, the athletic retailer announced this morning.
The role will be filled by the former executive chair and CEO of Ulta Beauty, Inc., Mary N. Dillon, effective Sept. 1. Johnson will remain as the executive chairman of the Foot Locker board until Jan. 31, 2023 and will serve as a senior adviser to Dillon until early April 2023.
Johnson was elected the CEO of Foot Locker, Inc. in 2014, a role that was previously held by Ken Hicks. During Johnson’s tenure, he aided the sales growth of the company to approximately $9 billion in 2021, from approximately $7 billion in 2014, and was behind a number of investments and acquisitions, including Atmos last year. Previously, Johnson held the role of COO at Foot Locker and multiple other divisional leadership roles.
“It has been a privilege and an honor to lead Foot Locker and work alongside the best team in retail for nearly 30 years,” Johnson said. “Together, we have built a broad house of brands and banners fueled by a shared passion for the global sneaker community. We have turned a brick-and-mortar company into an interactive retail community poised for long-term growth in the digital era. The board and I have worked closely together on a thoughtful succession plan, and with a strong foundation in place and ongoing momentum against our strategic objectives, we believe now is the right time to complete the CEO transition.”
Dillion brings over 35 years of experience leading consumer-focused businesses to Foot Locker. In addition to serving as the CEO of Ulta Beauty for the last eight years, Dillon has also served as president, CEO and a member of the board of U.S. Cellular and the global chief marketing officer of McDonald’s Corp.
“I am thrilled to be joining Foot Locker, an iconic company that possesses a strong set of values and focus on the customer experience as well as tremendous growth opportunities,” Dillion said. “It is clear how Foot Locker sits at the heart of the global sport and sneaker community, and I am excited to become part of the company’s team. I look forward to working closely with Dick to ensure a smooth transition, and to partnering with the board, leadership team, and nearly 50,000 team members around the world to build on Foot Locker’s strong foundation and help shape the company’s future.”
