HR alert: A new wave of appointments post-summer

Following the summer break, the pet sector has seen a series of new executive appointments in recent weeks.

Arcaplanet

The largest Italian pet retailer has named Guillaume Seneclauze as its new CEO, effective October. He will succeed Nicolò Galante, who has held the position since 2022. 

Seneclauze brings over 20 years of international experience in omnichannel retail, having held senior roles at French supermarket chain Carrefour and as CEO of Monoprix.

As Arcaplanet’s new CEO, he will lead the company through the next phase of its integration into European pet care group Fressnapf | Maxi Zoo.

“With Guillaume on board, we are confident that Arcaplanet will further strengthen its position as a market leader, benefiting from being part of the Fressnapf | Maxi Zoo family and advancing our shared mission: to do everything possible to make the lives of pets and their owners easier, better, and happier,” says Matt Simister, CEO of the Fressnapf Group.

Pets at Home

UK-based pet care company Pets at Home’s CEO position has been assured by Non-Executive Chair Ian Burke following the resignation of Lyssa McGowan.

McGowan stepped down after the second profit warning in 2 months, where shares reached an all-time low since March 2020. Burke will assume the role of CEO until a permanent CEO is appointed.

Pets at Home also welcomed Sarah Pollard as its new chief financial officer (CFO), following the retirement of Mike Iddon in spring 2026. Pollard currently serves as CFO at consumer goods firm PZ Cussons. Iddon’s retirement announcement came just weeks after McGowan stepped down as CEO.

In early September, the pet retailer lowered its annual profit forecast for the second time this year, citing weak retail market conditions.

Purina

Nestlé’s Purina has named Rafael Lopez as the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for Europe.

He replaced Jeff Hamilton, who has moved to the role of CEO of Nestlé Americas. 

Lopez brings 30 years of experience within the Nestlé Group, previously serving as the regional director of Purina Italy and Southern Europe.

He will be responsible for strengthening Purina’s market position, leading innovation and improving experiences for pets and their owners, while also addressing rising demand for premium products and sustainability.

“We will continue to invest in the things that matter most: our people, our pets, our partners – and the planet. The path ahead will require bold thinking, adaptability and the courage to question and evolve,” he says on LinkedIn. 

In addition, the corporation has appointed Philipp Navratil as CEO of Nestlé, effective immediately, following the dismissal of Laurent Freixe following an internal investigation.

Navratil has been with Nestlé since 2001, when he began his career as an internal auditor. Prior to his appointment as CEO, he managed various segments of the company, including the coffee and beverage business. He then joined the Nestlé Executive Board in January this year.

“I fully embrace the company’s strategic direction, as well as the action plan in place to drive Nestlé’s performance. I look forward to working closely with the entire leadership of the company, in alignment with the Board, Chairman Paul Bulcke, and Chairman-Designate Pablo Isla, to accelerate execution and to drive the value creation plan with intensity,” he says. 

zooplus

Munich-based online pet platform zooplus SE has appointed Lionel Desclée as its new CEO and a Member of the Management Board, effective 15 September.

Prior to this, Desclée was group CEO of The Very Group, a digital retailer and financial services provider in the UK. He was also president and CEO of retailer Walmart Japan (Seiyu).

“zooplus has built a trusted platform at the heart of the pet ecosystem. I look forward to working with the team to realize zooplus’ full potential as the leading destination for pet families across Europe,” Desclée says.

Based in Munich, zooplus currently operates local online shops across 30 European countries. 

Pet Circle

Australian online pet retailer Pet Circle has appointed Alistair Venn as its new CEO, transitioning from his role as Chief Operating Officer (COO). Venn will succeed Pet Circle Co-Founder Mike Frizell, who will become Chair of the Board.

Prior to joining Pet Circle in February, Venn worked with key divisions of the Woolworths e-commerce business for the past 4 years. He also held senior leadership roles at online food and grocery delivery app Menulog and workplace safety operations platform SafetyCulture.

“With the right combination of technology, supply chain and passionate focus on our customers, we can transform the way Australians care for their pets,” says Alistair Venn, who notes that they are “only scratching the surface” of serving more than 6 million Australian pet-owning households.

Pet Circle was founded in Sydney in 2011 and currently serves 700,000 customers across Australia.

Fressnapf

German pet retailer Fressnapf’s newly appointed CEO Matt Simister started his position this September, replacing Johannes Steegmann.

Simister brings over 30 years of experience in retail goods and services. Before joining Fressnapf, he held senior roles at British multinational Tesco, where he oversaw operations in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland and Hungary for the past 8 years. He was also a member of the company’s Executive Committee.

In a post on LinkedIn, Simister shares that he is “excited” about this new chapter.

“In the next weeks, I’ll be spending time with our great teams across all our countries, listening, learning and seeing first-hand the passion that makes this business so special.”