Pets at Home makes two senior appointments
Pets at Home has appointed David Robinson as chief operating officer of retail and Jane Balmain as interim chief executive of its vet group’s First Opinion business.
Robinson has spent the last two years working as managing director of Bestway Retail. Prior to that, he worked for 15 years at Home Retail Group, most recently as chief operating officer for Argos. His previous roles also include senior positions at Homebase and Dixons Retail.
Due to join Pets at Home in 2019, Robinson will report to Peter Pritchard, the company’s chief executive.
Pritchard said: “Following Robert Kent’s appointment as chief data officer only a few weeks ago, we are making another strategically important and senior level appointment, who will be critical to achieving our goal of becoming the world’s best pet care business. David has proven strength in running operations across a diverse group of retailers and his experience leading the digital transformation at Argos will be hugely valuable in our pursuit to make Pets at Home an increasingly digitally-led business.”
Meanwhile, Jane Balmain has rejoined the Pets at Home vet business after previously establishing the joint venture Companion Care in-store vet model in 2001 and then growing the business before retiring in 2014. Also reporting to Pritchard, she will remain with the company for next twelve months whilst also helping Pets at Home to find a permanent leader for the vet group. Pritchard will continue to manage the vet group’s specialist referral business.
Pritchard added: “Jane was responsible for establishing the in-store Companion Care joint venture model and growing the business successfully and sustainably through her tenure. Jane is well known by many of our joint venture partners and vet group colleagues, and we look forward to benefiting from her expertise and support over the coming months.”
