PetSmart hires former Walmart exec as chief commercial officer
Dive Brief:
PetSmart has named Jesica Duarte as its chief commercial officer, the retailer announced Monday.
In Duarte's new position, she will manage the company's proprietary brands, digital, marketing and various merchandising functions. The role is designed to kickstart PetSmart's growth strategy, improve customer experience and increase market share, according to the announcement.
Duarte brings more than 30 years of leadership experience to her new role, including at companies such as Albertsons, Walmart, Estée Lauder, J.C. Penney and others.
Dive Insight:
PetSmart CEO Ken Hicks called Duarte 'a strategic and growth-minded leader' and praised her past experience working at major retailers.
'She has led teams through significant business and process transformations, while delivering strong business results, and her expertise will be invaluable as we work to advance our long-range plan,' Hicks said in a statement.
As Duarte begins her tenure leading PetSmart's merchandising strategy, the pet retailer is expanding its product assortment ahead of Halloween. On Tuesday, the company debuted its 2025 Thrills & Chills Halloween collection, featuring costumes, apparel, accessories, toys and treats for cats, dogs and other small pets.
Duarte's appointment follows other leadership changes at the retailer. Last fall, then-President and CEO J.K. Symancyk exited the pet retailer after a six-year tenure to become the CEO of Signet Jewelers, with Hicks succeeding him in late October.
Retailers in the pet space are facing declining sales amid broader economic uncertainty. PetSmart rival Petco saw its Q1 net sales fall 2.3% year over year to $1.5 billion, but the company stuck to its full-year guidance, forecasting that its net sales will be down in the low-single-digits. Similarly, Bark in its most recent quarter reported a 5% drop in total revenue to $115.4 million. Last month, Bark received a noncompliance notice from the New York Stock Exchange because its stock price fell below an average closing price of $1.00 per share for more than 30 days.
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