Matalan appoints former H&M MD as CEO following leadership reshuffle

Matalan has appointed Henrik Nordvall, the former Managing Director of H&M for the UK and Ireland, as its new CEO. He will join the business in February 2026.

Nordvall brings 17 years of experience from H&M, where he held multiple roles across several countries. Most recently, he led the UK and Ireland division - H&M’s third-largest market - overseeing revenues of $1.5 billion.

Henrik Nordvall, incoming CEO, said: "I am thrilled to join Matalan as the new CEO from February 2026. Matalan is on a very exciting journey on delivering everyday style, quality and value to their customers and I am excited to start contributing to the business.

"Together with the executive team, the board and the whole Matalan team, I look forward to taking the company into the future."

His appointment follows a period of "strong" performance for Matalan. In the six months to 30 August 2025, the business reported a 69% increase in pre-IFRS16 EBITDA, reaching £34 million.

This growth was driven by margin expansion and tight cost control, as the retailer continues to execute its strategic transformation - most notably, its ongoing store refresh programme. Upgraded stores are currently outperforming the rest of the estate by 14%.

Executive Chair Karl-Heinz Holland said: "I am absolutely delighted that Henrik is joining Matalan at this exciting stage of our transformation.

"In Henrik, we have an individual with significant UK, apparel retail experience, coupled with proven CEO leadership experience to continue Matalan’s strategic delivery.

"I have no doubt that he will add huge value across all areas of the business, complementing the experienced executive and leadership team."

Nordvall’s appointment is the latest move in a broader strategic overhaul at Matalan, recently strengthened with several key hires to its senior leadership.

Jo Bennett joins as Director of Buying & Design, bringing expertise from Tu Clothing and John Lewis, where she led the womenswear and accessories division.

Meanwhile, Jon Williams takes on the newly created role of Director of Trading, Planning, and Merchandising, leveraging over 20 years of experience at John Lewis, Tesco, and Primark.

Eilidh MacAskill steps in as Director of Marketing, bringing senior-level experience across fashion journalism and retail, including tenures at Ocado, Asda, and Monsoon Accessorize.

Andreas Nicolaides was also named as Director of Digital, tasked with accelerating the company’s omnichannel strategy.