Ken Reeve will head the Blacks group, which includes Millets stores

Blacks Leisure has appointed a Cotswold Outdoor boss as its new managing director.

Ken Reeve, buying and merchandising director at Cotswold, will join the troubled Blacks group in November.

Blacks is now owned by retail group JD Sports which bought the failing retail chain, which also operates the Millets shops throughout the UK, in a £20m cash deal in January.

Former Blacks chief executive Julia Reynolds departed after nine months in the job.

JD chairman Peter Cowgill said: “We are confident that this is a positive appointment which strengthens the management team and confirms our commitment to the development of the Blacks retail business.”

JD Sports is currently trying to turn around the fortunes of Blacks, which went into administration with debts of £36m.

Mr Reeve has been with Cotswold, part of the AS Adventure Group owned by private equity firm Lion Capital, for 11 years.

JD Sports is 57 per cent owned by Berghaus and brasher parent company the Pentland Group.