From Symrise to Pets at Home: a new round of appointments in the pet industry

A new month has just started, making it a good time to look at the most notable appointments in the pet industry over the past few weeks.

Symrise

Jean-Yves Parisot assumed the position of CEO of the German company after Heinz-Jürgen Bertram’s 15-year tenure. 

Parisot is the current President of Taste, Nutrition & Health, which includes the company’s pet portfolio. 

Symrise thanked Bertram for putting the Symrise product portfolio “on a broad, resilient footing.” 

“He has sustainably strengthened the company through strategic acquisitions in important growth areas and has thus ideally positioned Symrise for the future,” says Michael König, Chairman of Symrise’s Supervisory Board.

König added that they are excited about the new appointment and are sure the company will be “in the best hands.”

Parisot, a veterinarian, joined Symrise in 2014 and became a Member of the Executive Committee in 2016. He is the President of the International Organization of the Flavor Industry (IOFI).

Pets at Home

British pet retailer Pets at Home has announced that Anja Madsen will become the company’s Chief Operating Officer (COO) for Retail in April this year. She will be taking over the role from Lisa Miao after her retirement.

Her most recent role as the CEO of Denmark’s premium supermarket chain Føtex equips her with the ability to lead Pets at Home’s retail front. Madsen’s previous experience includes prominent positions at UK supermarket chains Tesco and Sainsbury’s. 

She will be responsible for leading a team of 9,000 people and over 450 stores, furthering the capabilities of the pet care center estate and providing support to customers through high-quality products and services.

“We have made significant investments into our retail operations over the last 18 months, and Anja’s experience leading consumer-focused businesses will help us to realize our next phase of growth as we continue to deliver for pets and the people who love them,” comments CEO Lyssa McGowan.

JustFoodForDogs

The Californian human-grade food company announced that Eric Kufel will take over Julian Mack’s role as the company’s CEO.

Having served executive leadership roles at many consumer-focused companies, including a few from the L Catterton portfolio—a partner of JustFoodForDogs since 2017—Kufel’s new role will focus on enhancing the firm’s growth trajectory.

“As we continue to see pet adoption increase and pet parents prioritize high-quality, better-for-you fresh ingredients, there are numerous opportunities for us to leverage Eric’s expertise to capitalize on the compelling opportunities ahead,” comments Matt Lischick, a Partner at L Catterton.

Mack is expected to retain his position on the Board of Directors.

PetWise

Mac Tillman has been named the CEO of PetWise, a pet products supplier, effective February 5, 2024. Kevin Fick, the company’s CEO since 2012, has been promoted to a new role on its Board of Directors.

With 25 years of experience driving brand growth in consumer product goods (CPGs) and pet care industries, Tillman has been recognized for his sharp knowledge of the pet supplies market and experience in brand and product development. The company says his key focus as CEO will be “innovative products and engaging brand experiences” to drive strategic growth.

Tillman’s most recent title was as CEO of Alete Active Nutrition, which he helped grow from 1 to 4 brands while tripling its annual revenue in 3 years. He has also held influential roles at Big Heart Pet Brands and Del Monte Foods.

NaturVet

The US pet product manufacturer has announced the appointment of former Petco executive Geoff Granger as their new CEO to usher the company into a “new era of growth and innovation.” 

As part of his outline goals, Granger looks forward to “expanding [the company’s] capacity to deliver premium industry-leading pet products.” 

Having spent 10 years as Petco’s top executive, he is well-versed in the intricacies of the pet market. As part of his new role, he is expected to expand NaturVet’s presence and relationships within the pet wellness industry.

Independence Pet Holdings

JAB Pet Holdings’ affiliate company, Independence Pet Holdings (IPH), has hired Sharon Fernandez as its CEO. 

IPH, which is the parent company of pet health and wellness company PetPlace, is bringing Fernandez on board because of her proven results in the financial service industry, as well as her experience in building customer-oriented products and solutions.

“With a full stack of resources, capital, and services that support a multi-brand and omnichannel approach, our talented leadership team is ready to take our brands and services to the next level to create a better future for pets and pet parents,” she says of her appointment.

Moderna Products

Belgium pet accessories manufacturer Moderna Products has appointed Alex Raes as the new CEO for the Belgian market. 

Bart Bonte, who previously held this position, remains CEO of Moderna Products America and is taking on the new role of Chairman of the Board.

The new position will see Raes hopefully carry the company into a period of further innovation and growth and elevate its product portfolio “to new heights.”

Essential Foods

David Elsass has recently been announced as the new CEO of Essential Foods, a Denmark-based pet food brand, to enhance the brand’s presence in several European markets and match its strong positioning in Denmark, UK and Japan.

He has leadership experience in commercial strategy development for startup and scale-up brands, as well as holding strategic positions in sales and marketing. 

Elsass will work closely with founder Christian Degner-Elsner, who will be shifting his focus to international markets and strategic partnerships.