Flair Furniture appoints group chief executive

West Yorkshire-based furniture ecommerce business Flair Furniture Group has appointed Paul Atherton as group chief executive as founder Ashley Hainsworth moves to chairman.

Paul will take up the role on October 1, bringing more than two decades of omnichannel, ecommerce and B2B retail leadership experience.

He has held senior positions with businesses including Rexel, Renaissance, Project Solar, ADT and Breville/Mamas & Papas, with experience spanning commercial growth and national retail partnerships.

In his new role, Paul will lead Flair Furniture’s next phase of expansion, including the development of its B2B and trade channels and international growth in Ireland and the UAE, as the group targets £100 million in revenue.

Paul said: “Flair Furniture Group is one of the most exciting founder-built businesses in the region – a genuinely profitable, self-funded group with brilliant products, loyal customers and a team that likes to get things done. 

“My focus from day one will be on operational excellence, accountability and opening up the B2B, trade and international opportunities that will get us to the next level, while protecting the direct-to-consumer heritage that made Bed Kingdom what it is.”

Ashley, who founded the business with a £400 university project in 2011, will step back from its day-to-day leadership and become chairman. 

The group’s existing directors will report to Paul from October.

Ashley added: “I’ve spent fifteen years building this business from a student project into a group of seven brands, and it’s now at the stage where it deserves a leader with the experience to take it to £100 million and beyond. 

“Paul is exactly that person. 

“He’s operationally rigorous, commercially proven at national retail scale and shares our appetite for pace. 

“Handing over the day-to-day is the right move for the business, and as chairman I’ll be focused on strategy, new ventures and the group's AI-first transformation.”

Flair Furniture now operates seven brands, including Bed Kingdom, Flair Beds, Cuckooland and Recoil Gaming, from three West Yorkshire warehouses.

The business has grown to a team of around 92 people across the UK and Philippines and has established retail partnerships with Dunelm and The Range.

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