Zoetis names Kristin Peck to succeed Juan Ramón Alaix as CEO

Zoetis Inc. announced that Kristin Peck will succeed Juan Ramón Alaix as Chief Executive Officer, effective Jan. 1, 2020, and join the Board of Directors effective immediately.

Alaix, who has been CEO of Zoetis since its formation in 2012, has decided to retire as CEO effective Dec. 31, 2019. He will act as an advisor on the leadership transition through Dec. 31, 2020.

Peck currently serves as executive vice president and group president of U.S. Operations, Business Development, and Strategy, and she has been a member of the Zoetis executive leadership team since the company’s formation in 2012. She will remain in her current position until the transition is complete on Dec. 31, 2019.

“Kristin is the right leader for Zoetis’ future,” Alaix said in a release. “She is an advocate for our customers’ needs, a champion of Zoetis’ culture and values, and an inspirational and collaborative leader for our people and industry. Her strategic vision and proven track record of performance throughout her tenure at the company, as well as her operational experience and deep customer knowledge, have her well-prepared to drive Zoetis’ continued growth for the benefit of all our key stakeholders.”

Over the course of her career at Zoetis, Peck, 48, has led the company’s global manufacturing and supply organization, former global poultry and global diagnostics businesses, and new product marketing and global market research. Since 2015, she has run U.S. Operations and established a track record of consistently growing revenue faster than the overall animal health market, the company said, while overseeing the successful launch of new companion animal blockbusters, such as Simparica® and Cytopoint® for dogs, as well as the continued growth of Apoquel® into one of the largest products in the industry. Peck has played a key role in establishing a more data- and insight-driven sales and marketing function for the benefit of customers in the U.S.

Since 2018, Peck has also led the company’s corporate strategy and business development activities, including the acquisitions of Abaxis (diagnostics) and Platinum Performance (nutritional products) to support the continued expansion of Zoetis’ capabilities and offerings across the continuum of care.

Peck has been a passionate leader for colleague development. As the recipient of the 2019 Feather in Her Cap Award, she was honored for her work in mentoring women and helping them advance their careers in animal health.

Peck says she looks forward to working with the Board, Juan Ramón and the Zoetis executive team on this transition. “We will continue to serve our customers, colleagues, shareholders, and society by advancing animal health, and we will remain committed to building on the strategies, diverse portfolio, talented people and financial discipline that have been critical to our success.”