HR alert (II): latest executive moves across the pet food industry

The latest executive moves in the segment include new roles at Mars Petcare, Wellness Pet Company, Post Holdings, General Mills, Carnivore Meat Company and Hill’s Pet Nutrition, with players bringing in experienced leaders from across the consumer goods and pet nutrition sectors.

Mars 

Mars Australia & New Zealand has announced the appointment of Karim Lokhandwala as Chief Customer Officer of Petcare, effective 1 June. In this role, he will oversee sales and focus on the growth of brands including Pedigree, Whiskas, Mydog and Dine.

Lokhandwala brings more than 15 years of experience at multinational consumer goods company Procter & Gamble (P&G). Most recently, he served as General Manager of Sales for Grocery, Club & Discounters. His global expertise spans Pakistan, the Middle East, Australia and New Zealand across senior roles in sales, corporate strategy and commercial leadership.

“He brings a powerful combination of commercial edge and customer focus, translating consumer insights into strategies that accelerate growth and deliver meaningful value for pet parents,” says Melodie Nye, Managing Director and General Manager for Mars Petcare ANZ.

Wellness Pet Company

US pet food manufacturer Wellness Pet Company has appointed Allyson Borozan as Chief Marketing Officer (CMO).

Borozan has more than 20 years of consumer packaged goods (CPG) experience, including innovation and marketing roles at Kellogg Company and The Kraft Heinz Company. Most recently, she served as Chief Growth Officer at Bob’s Red Mill Natural Foods, a producer of organic food. 

“We are thrilled to have Ally join our leadership team, bringing both her passion as a pet parent and her deep experience building and directing cross-functional teams spanning brand strategy, insights, innovation and omni-channel marketing,” says Wellness Pet CEO Reed Howlett.

Post Holdings

CPG firm Post Holdings has appointed Nicolas Catoggio as President and CEO, replacing Robert Vitale.

Catoggio was named Chief Operating Officer (COO) in January 2026 and has led Post Consumer Brands as President and CEO since September 2021.

Before joining the Missouri-based company, he was Managing Director and Senior Partner in Boston Consulting Group’s Consumer Goods practice, where Catoggio advised Post on mergers and acquisitions (M&A) diligence, integrations and portfolio realignment, and participated in numerous food and beverage transactions.

“Over the past several years, he has driven strong performance at Post Consumer Brands, led integration of acquisitions and earned the trust of our teams across the organization. He has the right judgment and experience to lead the company as we continue to execute our strategy to create long-term value for our shareholders,” concludes Vitale, who will transition from Chairman and CEO to Executive Chairman on 1 October.

General Mills

Minnesota-based manufacturer General Mills announced the promotion of Dana McNabb to COO, effective 1 June. Before the promotion, McNabb served as Group President of North America Retail from 2024 and added North America Pet to her responsibilities in 2025.

Now, she will oversee all of General Mills’ operating segments and key operating functions, including the International and North America Foodservice segments, as well as the Digital & Technology, Innovation, Technology & Quality, Strategy and Growth, and Supply Chain teams.

McNabb will also continue leading North America Retail and North America Pet while joining the company’s board of directors.

She previously held positions including Chief Strategy & Growth Officer, Group President for Europe & Australia, President of the US Cereal operating unit and Vice President (VP) of Global Marketing for Cereal Partners Worldwide (CPW), the company’s joint venture with Nestlé headquartered in Switzerland.

“As someone who looks ahead and acts with urgency, Dana has led an initiative to reinvigorate our brands by strengthening their remarkability. She is exceptionally well-suited to lead our global operations and restore profitable growth for General Mills and our shareholders,” says CEO Jeff Harmening.

Carnivore Meat Company

Wisconsin-based raw pet food maker Carnivore Meat Company has appointed Lindsay Meyers as VP of Technical Services. In this role, she will lead the company’s technical services organization, overseeing food safety, quality assurance, nutrition, formulation and compliance.

Meyers has more than a decade of experience in minimally processed pet nutrition, spanning quality, food safety, regulatory compliance and product innovation. At Primal Pet Foods, she served as VP of Quality, Nutrition and Compliance and led teams across multiple manufacturing facilities while overseeing food safety systems, regulatory processes and product development.

“As the category continues to grow and face increased scrutiny, we are intentionally raising the bar and investing in the expertise needed to lead with confidence. Lindsay will play a key role in advancing our technical capabilities and supporting our retail and private label partners,” says Heather Govea, CEO of Carnivore Meat Company.

Hill’s Pet Nutrition

Maryann DeSilva has been appointed VP and General Manager of Hill’s Pet Nutrition Canada. In the position, she will lead the Hill’s growth strategy in Canada, focusing on innovation and market expansion.

DeSilva has been with Colgate-Palmolive, the parent company of Hill’s, for nearly a decade and has worked for Hill’s for more than 3 years. Her previous role was Senior Director of Marketing for Hill’s US Prescription Diet brand.