Former Tesco UK boss named new Foot Locker president

Barnes is set to take up his new role on December 3 and will report to Ed Stack, executive chair of Dick’s Sporting Goods - the US retail giant which purchased Foot Locker in a $2.4bn deal in September 2024. 

In his new role, Barnes will be responsible for Foot Locker’s international operations and oversee its store network and ecommerce operations across Europe, Asia, and Australia, as well as the brand’s presence in licensed stores in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.

“Matthew is a highly experienced leader in international retail and has deep knowledge of the markets in which Foot Locker operates. His expertise will be instrumental in strengthening our ability to create value for customers, brand partners, employees and shareholders, and we are delighted to welcome him to the team,” said Lauren Hobart, president and CEO of Dick’s.

Prior to joining Foot Locker, Barnes was the UK chief executive of Tesco for nearly two years. Prior to joining the UK’s largest supermarket, Barnes had spent his entire career with Aldi. 

In his nearly 27 years with the German discount giant, Barnes had risen to the level of group chief executive.