The former chief finance officer of a FTSE 30 company has joined Dunelm.
Karen Witts has been brought in as the out-of-town and online homewares retailer’s new CFO.
Until last October she had run the finance division of contract food, hospitality and support services company Compass Group plc.
Prior to that she had been CFO of international home improvement retailer Kingfisher Group plc, a role she held for seven years.
She will join the Dunelm board on June 9, succeeding Laura Carr, who will step down on June 8.
Ms Witts said: "It's very exciting to be returning to the retail industry to join the Dunelm team.
“As the market leader in homewares, Dunelm is a brand I have admired for some time and its strong purpose, culture and expanding customer offer makes it a compelling proposition.
“The team has exciting plans for continued growth and I look forward to getting started."
Dunelm has consistently outperformed the homewares and furniture market, with strong figures for the last half year thanks to customers sprucing up their homes during the pandemic.
It reported record pre-tax profits for the second half of 2021 at £140.8 million – more than 25 per cent up on a year earlier.
That was on the back of sales that were up more than 10 per cent at almost £800 million. Online sales now account for a third of trading.
Despite the positive figures the Leicestershire-headquartered retailer, which has 175 mainly out-of-town superstores, recently warned that the economic backdrop remained “uncertain”.
Ms Witts held senior finance, strategic and operational roles with Vodafone Group between 2010 and 2012, and with BT Group plc between 1999 and 2010. In January she was nominated to the board of Ipsen Pharma as a non-executive director.
She qualified as a chartered accountant with Ernst & Whinney.
Dunelm chief executive Nick Wilkinson said: "I am delighted that we have been able to attract someone of Karen's calibre to join our board and executive team.
“Her vast experience across global retail and consumer-facing businesses will be hugely beneficial as we work to achieve our ambitious growth plans to become a leading multi-channel retailer and our customers' first choice for home."
