A senior leader at Pets at Home is to step down, it has been confirmed.
David Robinson joined the company as chief operating officer in 2019, having held roles at the likes of Dixons, Argos and Homebase.
The move comes after Pets at Home appointed Lyssa McGowan to succeed long-time chief executive Peter Pritchard.
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Mr 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."
Pets at Home also confirmed it has appointed Lisa Miao to succeed Mr Robinson. She first joined the company in 2015, having previously worked for Morrisons.
Chief executive Lyssa McGowan said: "David led the retail business brilliantly through Covid, as well as driving huge change with two of the biggest transformational projects Pets at Home has ever undertaken, in our digital transformation and in building our new distribution centre.
"He also led our recent brand essence campaign, which perfectly captured what we all believe so passionately - 'we’re better with pets'.
"David combines deep retail expertise with an insightful mind, a real feel for people and true care for his team. To our collective thanks for everything he has contributed to the success of Pets at Home, I would like to add my personal thanks for so generously helping me settle into the business. We wish him every success as he moves onwards and upwards.
"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 (CCO) 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.
"The COO Retail role will be redefined to concentrate 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.
"This remains a critical role for the business, and I am delighted to announce that Lisa Miao is stepping up to take on this position after a long and successful period as commercial director.
"Lisa first joined Pets at Home in 2015, bringing with her extensive commercial and trading experience following a number of senior roles with some of the country’s biggest retailers, most recently as trading director for Morrisons.
"Lisa has long been a trusted and insightful leader in the business, and I know you will join me in congratulating her on this well-deserved appointment."
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