Former Jurys Doyle Hotel Group plc CEO and Founder of Dalata Hotel Group plc Pat McCann joins ufurnish.com as Chairman
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 Mc Gettrick and Ray Wright, 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 2nd 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 Mc Gettrick 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 calibre on the journey with us”.
Mc Gettrick 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 mould”.