Paula Coughlan will join Sainsbury’s as chief people officer from January 2027, with the former Currys executive adding to the supermarket’s operating board.

Coughlan joins the supermarket giant from Currys, where she has served as chief people, communications and sustainability officer since 2019.

She previously spent almost five years at McDonald’s, most recently as corporate vice president and global chief people strategy officer, and held senior people roles at PepsiCo.

At Sainsbury’s, Coughlan will report to chief executive Simon Roberts and will oversee the retailer’s people strategy, culture and colleague engagement.

Roberts said Coughlan had a “strong track record of building people-centric cultures where colleagues can thrive, customers receive great service and businesses perform at their best”

“I’m delighted that Paula is joining us. She brings outstanding experience from major consumer brands with a really strong track record of building people-centric cultures ,” he said.

Coughlan added: “Sainsbury’s is a brilliant business and a trusted brand with an important place in communities across the UK.

“What excites me most is the opportunity to build on its strong culture and help colleagues deliver an even better experience for customers.

“Throughout my career, I’ve seen that businesses perform at their best when colleagues feel supported, included and able to deliver for customers.

“Sainsbury’s has a clear plan and a real sense of purpose, and I’m excited to work with colleagues across its stores, depots and support centres to build on its strong culture and help unlock even greater performance.”

Click here to sign up to Retail Gazette‘s free daily email newsletter