Ufurnish Welcomes a New Chairman of the Board

Pat McCann is looking forward to exploiting the full potential of what ufurnish.com can achieve.

The UK’s market-leading search and comparison website for home furniture and furnishings, ufurnish.com, has seen meteoric growth during the pandemic, has closed £2.3m in funding, and has now appointed the Founder and CEO of Dalata Hotel Group as Chairman.

Launched in 2019 by Deirdre McGettrick and Ray Wright, IPBN member company ufurnish.com brings 125+ retailers across the market onto one website to simplify furniture search. The couple approached McCann in 2018 for advice when ufurnish.com was all but a concept and the wisdom they received from him on how to build a successful business has stuck with them.

Pat McCann notes, “I have been involved with ufurnish.com as an investor and advisor since its inception. Deirdre and Ray have put together a really fantastic team and I am very excited about the prospects for this business.” McCann is one of Ireland's most renowned international entrepreneurs, with an impeccable track record of success dating back to 1969 when he joined the Ryan Hotel Group plc. He was appointed CEO of Jury's Hotel Group plc in 2000, prior to setting up Dalata Hotel Group in 2007 which he grew to 44 hotels across Ireland and the UK.

Dalata is listed on both the London Stock Market (LSE:DAL) and Dublin Stock Market (ISE: DHG) and has a market cap of c. €1bn. McCann joins ufurnish.com as Chairman at a time when the company is rapidly disrupting the £25.5bn home furniture market in the UK.

Alongside his Dalata plc responsibilities, McCann is also an immediate past president and current director of IBEC (Irish Business and Employers Confederation - Ireland’s largest lobby and business representative group) and a board member of housebuilder Glenveagh Properties PLC. On March 2, 2021, McCann announced his retirement from Dalata Hotel Group plc. His executive role will cease in December 2021 and his Board role will cease in April 2022.

Commenting on McCann’s appointment as ufurnish.com Chairman, Deirdre McGettrick explained “Pat McCann is a visionary business leader and his appointment as Chairman is a massive triumph for our business at a time of huge growth. His experience and passion for building businesses and brands will be critical to us as we scale. We are delighted to have a person of Pat's caliber on the journey with us.” McGettrick goes on to explain the philosophy of ufurnish.com is to bring on the best talent in the market for all positions, “if you want to be the best, you got to work with the best and Pat 100% fits our mold.” 2020 was a breakout year for ufurnish.com explains McGettrick.

Closing a £2.3m in funding, building out our Senior Executive Team, and growing to 125+ retailers and 1.1m furniture and furnishing products on ufurnish.com have put the company in a great position. Having won The New Entrepreneur of the Year at the Lloyds National Bank Awards in November and being selected as one of 5 London rising star companies by Tech Nation in December, ufurnish.com has big plans for 2021. McGettrick explains, “as a company, we are growing up fast, and ensuring we have proper structures and good governance will be key to our continued success.” 2021 has started with a bang with month-on-month growth exceeding 90%.

Next on the agenda is securing the companies next investment raise, according to McGettrick “Our next key milestone will be closing our Series A investment raise which we are actively speaking to investors at this current time to help us accelerate our growth plans. We are targeting a raise up to £10m and first conversations are progressing really strongly with a third of the round subscribed.” Upon joining ufurnish.com Pat McCann said, “I 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 potential of what ufurnish.com can achieve.”