Pets at Home Appoints James Bailey as CEO, Shares Rise

Pets at Home Group Plc (PETS) has announced the appointment of James Bailey as its new Chief Executive Officer, effective March 30, 2026.

Bailey, formerly Managing Director of Waitrose, brings a wealth of retail experience to the UK's leading pet care business.

The news has seen PETS shares rise around 1.6% in early Tuesday trading.

Bailey's tenure at Waitrose saw significant achievements, including successfully steering the business through the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent inflationary pressures.

He also oversaw the relaunch of Waitrose.com following its transition from the Ocado platform. Prior to Waitrose, Bailey held senior roles at J Sainsbury plc, including Grocery Buying Director, giving him a comprehensive understanding of the retail landscape.

Ian Burke, currently Executive Chair, will revert to Non-Executive Chair upon Bailey's arrival, focusing on a smooth transition. Burke stated that Bailey's experience “aligns well with the Group's ambitions for the coming years,” and his retail leadership skills will support the ongoing focus on improving Pets at Home's retail business, with significant operational and commercial experience leading both stores and online operations.

The company stated that Bailey's remuneration package includes a base salary of £639,770, a pension contribution of 6.5% of base salary, and a maximum annual bonus of 170% of base salary.

He will also receive an annual award of share options equivalent to 250% of base salary, contingent on shareholder approval of a revised Remuneration Policy at the upcoming Annual General Meeting on July 9, 2026.

Bailey commented: “I'm delighted to be joining Pets at Home, it's a business I've admired for a long time and one I believe has a very bright future.”