Dunelm has appointed Nick Wilkinson to take the reins of the homewares retailer a year after his exit from Evans Cycles.

The home furnishing specialist has snapped up Wilkinson to lead the business following the abrupt departure of its former chief executive John Browett in August.

Wilkinson will begin his new role in February, marking his return to the retail sector following his exit from Evans Cycles last September after five years at the helm.

Wilkinson left the cycling specialist on mutually agreed terms following a slump in its full-year profits. Prior to this he held the chief executive role at Dutch retailer Maxeda DIY and has also had stints at Unilever, McKinsey & Co and Dixons Retail.

Dunelm chief executive Andy Harrison said: “I am delighted with Nick’s appointment. He brings an excellent retail skillset with multichannel experience across a number of consumer sectors and geographies.

“We are confident that Nick’s proven business leadership and track record will help us to deliver our ambitious plans for growth in market share and creation of substantial value for shareholders.”

Wilkinson added: “Dunelm has so many strengths with an excellent customer offering, great people, trusted brands, a leading market position and numerous opportunities for further growth.

“I am really looking forward to working with the fantastic team at Dunelm and leading the company into its next exciting chapter.”

Topics