British sportswear brand Castore has a new high-calibre commercial director, appointing Peter Alecock to an important post of the ambitious company. He joins from Leeds-based fashion and homewares brand Joe Browns, where he served as CEO from June 2022 until this February.

But key to his appointment is the 16 years spent in various commercial leadership positions at sports retail giant JD Sports Fashion, latterly as chief operating officer from September 2019 until May 2022, and previously both Chief Operating Officer and Commercial Director for Fashion.

The appointment of Alecock comes as the Manchester-based sportswear disruptor business targets further growth, having recently expanded into the physical retail space. The latest included an 865 sq ft flagship at centre:mk in Milton Keynes. Last month, it opened its first outlet store in London at the Outlet Shopping at The O2 mall. It also has a store in the Bluewater mall in Kent.

Although Castore has failed to retain high-profile kit deals with Premiership football teams Newcastle United and Wolverhampton Wonderers, it still holds deals with other major English and European clubs as well as the ongoing high-profile deal to supply England Cricket as well as equally high profile teams across motor racing and rugby. 
 
Last year Castore secured £145 million financial support led by Raine Partners, along with Hanaco Ventures and Felix Capital to support its ongoing growth. 
 
At the time, the brand said the funding would help it continue to “disrupt the premium sportswear market and global team sports landscape”.
 
In late February, Joe Browns replaced Alecock as CEO almost immediately with Dawn Bannerman taking the top job at the fast-growing fashion retailer. She joined from laredoute.co.uk, where she’d been Chief Commercial Officer after having previously been Chief Marketing Officer for the UK subsidiary of the French business.