Sainsbury’s names Paula Coughlan as new chief people officer
Sainsbury’s has hired Paula Coughlan as chief people officer, effective January 2027.
She will join the supermarket from Currys, where she has been working as chief people, communications and sustainability officer.
Subscribe to TRBBefore this, Coughlan spent almost five years at McDonald’s, where her most recent position was corporate vice president and global chief people strategy officer. She has also previously held a range of senior people roles at PepsiCo in the UK and Europe.
Sainsbury’s said she will bring deep experience of leading people, culture and transformation across large, customer-facing companies
In her new role, Coughlan will join the operating board and report to Sainsbury’s chief executive Simon Roberts.
Roberts said: “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 where colleagues can thrive, customers receive great service and businesses perform at their best.
“Our colleagues are at the heart of the experience we create for customers every day. Paula understands how culture, leadership and colleague engagement come together to unlock performance and I’m really looking forward to welcoming her to the team.”
Coughlan said: “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.”
