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Online pet store Zooplus, which operates in thirty European countries, has a new CEO: Belgian Lionel Desclée, who previously held top positions at Walmart and Belgian pet store chain Tom&Co.
Strong growth
Lionel Desclée will become Chief Executive Officer and member of the Board of Directors at Zooplus on 15 September. He is an experienced international retail executive: most recently he was CEO of The Very Group, one of the United Kingdom’s largest digital retailers. Before that, he was the CEO of Walmart Japan. Earlier in his career, he spent more than a decade at Ahold Delhaize in both Europe and the United States.
Zooplus has experienced strong growth in recent years but is struggling with profitability. Earlier this year, the retailer announced a restructuring that involved centralising several operations and cutting about 6% of jobs. The company’s owners, investor groups Hellman & Friedman (H&F) and EQT, are looking for a buyer. Should that not be found, an IPO is also an option.
