HR alert: These are the latest executive appointments in the pet industry

Recent weeks have seen a flurry of high-profile C-level changes across the global pet industry, with companies making bold moves at the top to position themselves for growth and expansion.

Alongside several key appointments, some players are also navigating departures in their executive teams.

Nestlé

The multinational has appointed Jeff Hamilton as the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for its Americas region, succeeding Steve Presley, who is retiring. Hamilton is currently serving as CEO of Purina’s European division and will make the jump to the parent company role in July.

He has also held leadership roles at Purina and Nestlé since 1991, assuming the position of CEO of Purina Petcare Europe in 2021. “Jeff has consistently demonstrated exceptional performance and a remarkable ability to inspire and motivate his teams,” CEO Laurent Freixe says.

The change comes as growth has begun to slow at Purina. It was not immediately clear who would replace Hamilton in his current role.

Fressnapf

The German pet retailer has appointed Matt Simister as its new CEO, effective September.He has over 30 years of retail experience, including significant leadership roles at Tesco, where he served as CEO of the Central Europe division and was a member of the Executive Committee.

Simister succeeds Johannes Steegmann, who is stepping down from the role. Alongside this appointment, Fressnapf is restructuring its leadership team to enhance agility and data-driven decision-making.

Christian Kümmel, the current Chief Financial Officer, left at the end of April 2025, with Sebastian van Stiphout, Senior Vice President of Finance and Strategy, assuming the role on an interim basis.

Interim CEO Peter Pritchard will continue as Co-Chair of the Non-Executive Board alongside Founder Torsten Toeller.

KIKA

Tautvydas Cinelis has assumed the role of Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Lithuanian-headquartered KIKA Group.

He has over a decade of experience in the company. He began working as a Manager and Analyst at Akvatera, KIKA Group’s pet food factory, before transitioning to leadership at KIKA itself. Before becoming COO, Cinelis was the Head of Shared Services.

“We believe that this decision of ours will strengthen what is valued most in the group: stable evolution, leadership based on competencies and continuity of the family business philosophy,” the group’s founder, Janita Plunge, says of Cinelis’ appointment.

With US expansion in mind, KIKA recently welcomed Bill Gerads as its New Executive Vice President of Sales for the US. Gerads previously worked at Mars, Blue Buffalo and Walmart. His role will involve building new partnerships for the brand.

“His deep understanding of the pet industry and strategic approach to business development will be crucial as we continue to expand in North America. We are confident that his leadership will help propel our brands to new heights,” says Aivaras Bakanas, US Country Manager at KIKA Group.

MiAlgae

Scottish biotech firm MiAlgae appointed economist and investor Simon Durrant as the new company’s CFO to help lead the company through its “next phase of expansion.”

According to the Edinburgh-based firm, Durrant joins the company at a pivotal time with plans to launch an industrial-scale production facility in Scotland later this year. The new plant is expected to more than quadruple its production capacity.

He is a chartered accountant with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Economics from the University of Cambridge. His background encompasses strategic consultancy, accountancy and early-stage investment.

“It’s rare to find a solution that is so compelling from both an environmental and economic perspective, so I couldn’t resist the opportunity to join at such a critical and exciting stage of the journey,” says Durrant.

Pet Food Experts (PFX)

American pet food distributor Pet Food Experts (PFX) has announced several leadership changes this spring.

CFO Jim Martin retired in March after 3 years in the job, leaving the position to Paul McCarron, the company’s former COO. The shakeup follows the acquisition of assets from Animal Supply Company, and some executives are receiving new responsibilities as these assets are integrated into the company.

The company highlights that Elaine Rei-Lavalley has been tasked with leading the accounting and finance teams. Chief of Staff Phylicia Proulx will serve as Interim Director of Purchasing Operations during the integration.

RAWZ

Maine-based RAWZ, a maker of natural pet food, appointed Doug Siegal as its new Vice President of Sales. Siegal has worked in the pet industry since 2004. He was part of Stella & Chewy’s for 17 years and previously served as VP of sales and operations at Fabdog.

“Doug’s passion for building strong relationships and leading with integrity aligns perfectly with our values at RAWZ,” the company’s co-founder, Janet Scott, says.

“He brings not only deep industry experience but also a genuine care for our partners and the pet community. We’re thrilled to welcome him to the team.”

C-level departures

On the other hand, there have been 2 C-level departing positions. American online pet retailer Chewy announced that Chief Financial Officer David Reeder will leave in several months to return to the semiconductor industry as a Chief Executive Officer.

CEO Sumit Singh expressed gratitude for Reeder’s leadership: “We appreciate David’s contributions during his time at Chewy and thank him for his leadership as we advanced our strategic, long-term growth initiatives.” Reeder will remain CFO through the company’s next earnings announcement in June and assist with the transition.

After briefly serving as CEO of Swedish pet player Petbuddy Group (PBG), Paul van der Raad announced he has transitioned into a temporary role as Senior Non-Executive Advisor.