Lars Syse Christiansen appointed new CFO in XXL Group

Christiansen is an experienced CFO currently chairman of the board for Cardboard and Wanda, companies he has also co-founded, and he has a background as CFO of multiple European consumer focused businesses including CircleK, Otovo and Storebrand Bank.

“Lars is a highly talented CFO, with background from many interesting companies with clear customer orientation. He has broad experience and a strong track-record from steering through transformations, developing cost- and operational efficiency programs, professionalizing and focusing performance management. He is also an engaging and likeable leader. This is exactly what we were looking for when we started the search for a new CFO. I am very excited that Lars has accepted to join XXL”, says Freddy Sobin, CEO of XXL.

Christiansen is 46 years old and a Norwegian citizen. He holds a Master of Science in Management from the London School of Economics, as well a management program in Corporate Finance and Investment Analysis and a Master of Marketing Management from the Norwegian School of Management (BI i Oslo). Before co-founding Wanda, a circular logistics platform, he served as CFO of Otovo AS, a company he co-founded back in 2015. Otovo is a leading online solar sales platform, listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange, with operations in Norway, Sweden, France and Spain. From 2012-2014 he served as CFO in CircleK Europe, a global convenience retail chain. Lars Syse Christiansen has also been CFO in Storebrand Bank ASA as well as Head of Business Development in Posten Norge AS.

In addition to these merits, Christiansen is also an experienced Board Member mostly within start-ups and venture companies. He is currently serving on the Board of Ruter AS, a provider of public transport in the Oslo region.

"I have admired the XXL concept since its beginning more than 20 years ago, as a frequent customer in the stores and online. Being the largest sports retailer in the Nordics, with a leading omni position, XXL has the foundation for a strong comeback. I strongly believe in the transformation plan “Reset&Rethink” and am looking forward to contributing with driving change, strengthening organizational efficiency and creating profitable growth. Now I am eager to meet all the new colleagues, learn from the inside and hit the ground running”, says Lars Syse Christiansen.

Christiansen will join XXL in August 2024.