Pets at Home’s chief operating officer David Robinson is set to exit the business.
Robinson is leaving after four years with the pet specialist, where he was responsible for its digital transformation project.
He also led the business in building its new distribution centre and steered its latest brand campaign, ‘We’re better with pets’.
In an internal memo seen by Retail Week, Pets at Home’s new chief executive Lyssa McGowan said Robinson will be replaced by Lisa Miao, who is being promoted from her current role of commercial director.
Miao joined the business in 2015 from Morrisons, where she served as trading director.
McGowan also revealed her plans to reshape the role of chief operating officer and create a new role of chief consumer officer.
She said: “As we look ahead, we will be bringing all parts of the business even closer together, operating as one team to deliver a joined-up omnichannel pet care experience for our customers.
“We will prioritise simple governance, clear accountabilities and an even greater customer focus while losing none of the dedication to delivering the trusted advice and clinical excellence for pets and their owners which makes this business so special.
“With a renewed customer focus, I am creating a chief consumer officer role, which will have responsibility for the overarching customer value proposition, marketing and brand positioning, digital transformation, growth strategy and adjacencies, and new and innovative pet care formats. We are in the process of recruiting for this role and will provide a further update in due course.”
McGowan said the chief operating officer role would be “redefined” with a focus on “world-class execution across trading, merchandising and category management, supply chain, distribution, stores and online operations, service delivery and, most, importantly supporting our frontline colleagues”.
She added that Miao and the new chief consumer officer would work closely with Louise Stonier, the chief operating officer of its vet business, as part of “a single, streamlined executive team”.
Robinson said: “I’m extremely proud of the enormous amount we have achieved at Pets at Home since I joined the business in 2019. From transforming the business into a true omnichannel operation to delivering record sales and profit, and navigating the challenges brought about by the pandemic, we have made great strides, which were all made possible by being part of such a brilliant team.
“Pets at Home is a truly unique business and I will watch on with great pride as it continues to go from strength to strength.”
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