Lorraine Culligan

Group Director of People and Culture at Primark

As Group Director of People and Culture at Primark Lorraine is responsible for the areas of People and Culture , Corporate Social Responsibility and Corporate Affairs, overseeing over 80,000 employees across 459 stores spanning 17 markets (as at, January 2025).

Lorraine’s career spans over 25 years in the retail sector.

She joined Primark in 2005 as HR Manager and has held a number of senior positions, where she was instrumental in reshaping the role of HR to become ‘People and Culture’, reflecting the evolution of Primark the employer. In 2017 Lorraine was appointed to the Primark Board of Directors.

Lorraine leads with a people first approach. She has a strong passion for nurturing internal talent, creating opportunities for colleagues to grow their careers and build experiences at Primark. She believes in putting the right supports in place to enable individuals to realise their true potential, to connect with each other, share knowledge and become the leaders of tomorrow. She recognises the role leadership plays in driving colleague engagement and continues to foster a culture of transparency and inclusivity, where innovation can thrive.

Lorraine operates as an enterprise-wide leader influencing and driving outcomes that extend far beyond the traditional scope of the people agenda. With a deep understanding of business priorities, she works as a key partner with senior leaders in shaping organisational strategy, fostering innovation, and enabling sustainable growth while building a culture that empowers success.

She qualified from University College Dublin with a Bachelor of Social Science and a Postgraduate Diploma in Business Studies and holds a Diploma in Personnel management CIPD from National College of Ireland.

Lorraine is passionate about building a culture of purpose and belonging in Primark and embedding a People First purpose.