Roger Burnley joins board of Pets at Home

Burnley, who left Asda in August 2021 after four years at the helm, is to join the board of Pets at Home as an independent non-executive director. 

Upon his appointment, effective from February 14, Burnley will be a member of the audit and risk, remuneration, nomination and corporate governance, and ESG committees.

Pets at Home chair Ian Burke said: “On behalf of the board, I am delighted to welcome Roger Burnley to Pets at Home. Roger has deep knowledge of the retail sector and food supply chains and his experience will be of great value to Pets at Home as it embarks on the next stage of its ambitious strategic plan. The directors and I look forward to working with Roger next year.”

Burnley stepped down abruptly from his role as Asda chief executive in August last year, two months before his planned departure following the grocer’s acquisition by the Issa brothers and TDR Capital. 

Burnley was made a CBE in the 2022 new year honours list for services to the food supply chain and earlier this year took on the role of non-executive chair of Belfast-based food manufacturer Finnebrogue Artisan.

Burnley’s appointment comes amid several changes for the Pets at Home board, with chair of the remuneration committee Sharon Flood and non-executive director Stanislas Laurent to step down in May. 

Dennis Millard, who has served as its senior independent director for nine years, will stand down from that position, having served nine years on the Pets at Home board. Millard will remain a director for a further year but will no longer be considered independent in accordance with the Corporate Governance Code. 

Zarin Patel, who has been a non-executive director since April 2021, has been appointed senior independent director. 

Pets at Home said it was to continue its search for a second non-executive director.

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