Dunelm appoints Sainsbury’s chief as new CEO

Dunelm has announced the appointment of Clodagh Moriarty as its new CEO, effective 1 October 2025.

Moriarty is currently chief retail and technology officer at Sainsbury’s. As a member of the operating board, she holds responsibility for all stores and their operations, alongside Sainsbury’s digital offer and strategy, customer experience and end to end technology platforms.

She has been with the business for 15 years, holding a variety of leadership roles, having previously worked for nine years at Bain and Company.

Moriarty will succeed Nick Wilkinson who, as announced in February, had informed the board of his intention to retire from Dunelm and full-time executive life, following seven years in the role.

Wilkinson will continue in his role until Moriarty joins the business to ensure a smooth transition and will step down from the board at the end of September, before leaving the business in early October.

The appointment follows a thorough recruitment process, considering both internal and external candidates and supported by an independent executive search firm.

Alison Brittain, chair of Dunelm, said: “We are thrilled to be appointing Clo as our new CEO. She is a proven industry leader and brings an impressive range of skills and experience from one of the UK’s largest retailers, where she has played a prominent role in developing the Sainsbury’s offer to drive market share gains over a number of years.

“Clo was the standout candidate from a strong field, and we are delighted that we have been able to attract such a talented and high calibre executive. As Nick hands on the baton, we are confident that her blend of retail, digital and strategic expertise will be a significant asset as we move into our next phase of growth as The Home of Homes.”

Moriarty added: “Dunelm is a fantastic business which I have followed and admired for many years, so to be joining as CEO is a real privilege. Our homes play a central part in our lives and Dunelm has a very special role in helping customers to create a space which is truly their own.

“Even from the outside, its values, purpose and culture are plain to see, which is credit to the thousands of committed colleagues across the business. Nick and the team have done an incredible job growing the business, its channels and its capabilities over recent years in service of Dunelm’s customers. We have an amazing platform to build from, and I can’t wait to get started.”