Online homeware search engine ufurnish.com has appointed a high-profile chairman.听
Pat McCann, a former CEO at Jurys Doyle Hotel Group and founder of Dalata Hotel Group,听has been involved with the firm as an investor and advisor since its inception.听听
Launched in 2019 by Deirdre McGettrick and Ray Wright, ufurnish.com brings 125+ retailers across the market onto one website to simplify furniture search.听听
The couple approached McCann in 2018 for advice when听ufurnish.com was听but a concept.听
Users听are able to听favourite products, create home furnishing design boards and receive notifications for sales alerts and retailer promotions.听Once they are ready to purchase, one click takes them directly to their desired product on the retailer鈥檚 website.听
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鈥淒eirdre听and Ray have put together a really fantastic team and I am very excited about the prospects for this business,鈥� said McCann,听one of Ireland’s most renowned international entrepreneurs.听
鈥淚 am delighted to have been asked to join the new board of directors as Chairman. I am really looking forward to working with this great team and helping exploit the full听potential of what ufurnish.com can achieve.鈥�听
McCann听began his career in听1969, when听he joined the Ryan Hotel Group.听He was appointed CEO of Jury’s Hotel听Group plc in 2000, prior to setting up Dalata Hotel Group in 2007 which he grew to 44 hotels across Ireland and听the UK.听听
Dalata is listed on both the London Stock Market听and Dublin Stock Market听and has a听market cap of 鈧�1听billion.听Earlier this month,听McCann announced his听plan to听retire听from听the firm, with his听executive role听to听cease in December and his听board role in April听2022.听
鈥淧at McCann听is a visionary business leader and his appointment as听chairman is a massive triumph for our business at a time听of huge growth,鈥� said听Deirdre听McGettrick.听听
鈥�His experience and passion for building businesses and brands will be critical to us as we scale.听We are delighted to have a person of Pat’s calibre on the journey with us.鈥�听
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In 2020听uFurnish听closed听a 拢2.3m in funding, built听out听its听senior听executive听team with a CTO from Lastminute.com and CMO with pedigree from DFS, and grew听to 125+ retailers and 1.1m furniture and furnishing products on听its platform.听听
The firm was听selected as one of听five听London rising star companies by Tech Nation in听December听and has enjoyed听month–on–month growth听of听more than听90%听at the start of 2021.听听
鈥淥ur next key milestone will be closing our Series A听investment raise which we are actively speaking to investors at this current time to help us accelerate our听growth plans,鈥� added听McGettrick.听听
鈥�We are targeting a raise up to 拢10m and first conversations are progressing really strongly with a听third of the round subscribed.鈥�听