Current chief executive Sir Geoffrey Mulcahy is to leave on Thursday, meaning the position will be unfilled for several months. Murphy is due to join the retail giant, which owns the Comet and B&Q chains, by no later than February 2 2003.
Murphy has been chief executive of Carlton since 2000 and has been at the helm during a time when it invested in the disastrous ITV Digital and when its flagship ITV1 has been losing audience share.
He leaves Carlton as it prepares to merge with Granada, a move that would have seen him without a job. Michael Green, chairman of Carlton Communications, said: "Gerry and I have worked well together. I will miss him as a colleague but I look forward to working with him as a friend at Kingfisher, one of our biggest advertisers. I thank him for his commitment to Carlton and wish him every success."
Murphy, 46, was educated in Ireland where he received his doctorate from the University College of Cork, followed by a MBS degree in Marketing from the University College of Dublin.
He joined Grand Metropolitan, now Diageo, in 1978 before becoming chief executive of the agricultural company Greencore Group in 1991 and four years later joining Exel as chief executive.
Murphy said: "Carlton is a great company and it has been my privilege to work here. Its prospects as a key component of a consolidated and cohesive ITV are excellent and I wish Michael and my colleagues every good fortune."
Kingfisher chairman Francis Mackay said: "I am delighted that Gerry Murphy has agreed to join Kingfisher. His leadership skills will ensure that we continue to pursue our strategic agenda with a clear sense of purpose, and that Kingfisher will continue to deliver on the challenging objectives we have set for ourselves."
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