Kingfisher appoints Deba Sen as chief commercial officer

Kingfisher has appointed Debarati (Deba) Sen as chief commercial officer. She will join the international home improvement group in December and become a member of its group executive team, based in London.

The news comes after Kingfisher confirmed that Henri Solère, chief offer and sourcing officer, will step down from his role in January 2026 after 12 years with the company. 

Sen joins from HMTX Industries, a US-based global flooring manufacturer, where she is currently chief executive. 

She previously spent more than 26 years at 3M, holding senior leadership roles including president of the Home Improvement, Consumer Safety and Well-being division, and president of the Construction and Home Improvement Markets division.

Solère has held several senior positions across the group, including commercial director at Castorama and group category director. 

Since 2018, he has led the company’s Own Exclusive Brands strategy, which has become a core part of Kingfisher’s retail offer.

Thierry Garnier, chief executive, said: “Deba brings extensive executive experience in large multinational environments and is recognised for delivering commercial strategy in product, marketing and business transformation. We look forward to working with her as we advance our commercial agenda.

“I would like to thank Henri for his huge contribution over the last 12 years, particularly his leadership in developing our Kitchen, Bathroom and Storage categories and strengthening our Own Exclusive Brands.”

Sen added: “I am delighted to be joining Kingfisher. With its strong growth opportunities and clear customer propositions in each market, Kingfisher is at the forefront of home improvement, providing retail and trade customers with affordable, quality products, and best-in-class customer service. I’m looking forward to working with the team to build on the strong foundations and further build upon Kingfisher’s distinctive competitive advantages.”