Dunelm non-exec joins retailer as customer director

Homewares retailer Dunelm has recruited one of its own non-executive directors to take up the role of customer director as part of plans to strengthen and develop its proposition.

Kelly Devine, who has been working in an advisory capacity at Dunelm since March 2022, will step down from the board on July 5 to take up the new position on its executive team.

She will join from Mastercard, where she has been for the past eight years, latterly as president for UK and Ireland. During this time, Devine she has led substantial growth across the finance giant’s network, responsible for P&L, vision, product, customer relationships, marketing, public policy and regulatory engagement.

Having started her career as an economics consultant at PwC, Devine then spent a decade at American Express in a raft of senior roles, including vice-president of customer experience.

Dunelm said Devine will be considered non-independent with immediate effect and has stepped down from its audit and risk, nominations and remuneration committees.

The retailer’s chair Alison Brittain said: “I am delighted that Kelly has agreed to join the Dunelm executive team as our customer director. I would like to thank Kelly for her valuable contribution as a non-executive over the past two years.

“Whilst she will be greatly missed around the board table, it’s fantastic to welcome her into her new role, where she will focus on pushing forward our customer proposition and working with the rest of our executive team to pursue the multiple opportunities we have to grow the business and develop our brand.”

Dunelm’s most recent ad campaign channelled the Grease classic “You’re the One that I Want” to push the breadth of its range, value and quality, in the first TV campaign since marketing director Sean McGinty joined the retailer from Aldi in April last year.

Created in partnership with Creature London, with media being handled by Goodstuff, the campaign reinforces Dunelm’s “The Home of Homes” branding but “shines a brighter light on it”.