Ron Coughlin appointed as Petco CEO
On June 13, Petco announced Ron Coughlin as its new CEO. Coughlin is a consumer products and technology industry veteran with more than 15 years of C-suite executive experience. He comes to Petco after 11 years at HP Inc., of which he spent the last four years leading HP’s Personal Systems segment, a $33 billion global business.
Prior to joining HP, Ron spent 12 years at PepsiCo in a range of senior executive roles, including CMO of PepsiCo International Beverages. In that capacity, he was responsible for marketing activities across Pepsi, 7 Up, Gatorade and Tropicana in all markets outside of the US.
Coughlin said, “Over the past 50+ years, Petco has become one of the most trusted names in the pet category. I look forward to working with Petco’s strong existing leadership team and more than 25,000 passionate partners to grow and transform our business with a commitment to the needs of pet parents and the animals they love first and foremost.” Hinting at his focus in the company, he said, “We will drive compelling in-store, online and services-related offerings, and we will have an unwavering commitment to innovation and flawless execution. I am excited about Petco’s future.”
Christopher Stadler, Managing Partner of CVC Capital Partners said, “Ron has outstanding leadership experience with a consistent track record of driving strong growth and transformation at consumer-facing organizations. For the last 25 years, he has worked closely with the world’s top physical and online retailers. We are very pleased to have the opportunity to work with Ron, and we are excited about what his involvement will mean for the future of Petco.”
Brad Weston said, “It has been a great privilege to work with the management team and partners at Petco over the past seven years. In this time, we have added significant management talent and built out the company’s capabilities in a variety of key areas. While I look forward to pursuing other opportunities in the future, I am confident that this transition leaves Petco well positioned for continued future success.”
Coughlin will begin his role as CEO effective June 18.