Shirley joins from Asda, where he was vice-president of wholesale and convenience, leading the Asda express store proposition. 

Reporting into chief operating officer retail Lisa Miao, Shirley will take responsibility for the retailer’s 457-store estate and also lead retail operations as it expands.  

Miao said: “It is great to welcome Steve to the team. He is a very experienced, results-driven and respected retailer and has developed a wealth of experience across end-to-end retail operations, including establishing a broad range of store formats.”

Shirley spent 30 years at Asda, including five years as vice-president of retail operations and a senior retail director for stores in Manchester, Lancashire and Yorkshire.  

Shirley said: “I’m very excited to be joining Pets at Home – not many businesses can provide such a rich offer, combining health, grooming and retail all under one brand.

“I was also very struck by the collaborative culture that seems to be such a key component of Pets at Home’s continuing success story. I can’t wait to get started and meet as many of my new colleagues as possible.” 

Chief executive Lyssa McGowan took over the reins at Pets at Home in June 2022 and set out to reshape the executive team around the business’s omnichannel objectives.