WittKieffer: Recent appointments highlight industry thirst for external expertise
WittKieffer believes there is an increasing trend for animal health businesses to target executives from external industries.
This article was originally published on the S&P 500 Global website (login required) on June 6, 2025 and has been republished here with permission.
WittKieffer believes there is an increasing trend for animal health businesses to target executives from external industries.
The company is a specialist in executive search, leadership advisory, and interim and on-demand leadership. It tracked more than 45 notable senior appointments across animal health and nutrition companies in the first quarter of 2025. More than half of these recruits came from outside the animal health sector.
WittKieffer monitors leadership changes across 40 leading animal health and nutrition companies in Europe and the US. The firm observed internal promotions and external appointments in Q1 at ADM Animal Nutrition, Argenta, Bimeda, Ceva Santé Animale, Chanelle, Covetrus, Dechra Pharmaceuticals, Hipra, IDEXX Laboratories, Mars, Norbrook Laboratories, Phibro Animal Health, Swedencare, Zoetis, and other companies. WittKieffer also highlighted 14 executive departures during Q1 from a variety of companies.”
Joe Kennedy – managing director for WittKieffer’s animal health team – told S&P Global Animal Health the Q1 data “reveals a dynamic shift in the talent landscape within the sector, marked by strategic changes in leadership composition”. He pointed out active recruitment and onboarding of external expertise as a notable trend – particularly in areas such as sustainability, technical operations, financial stewardship and marketing excellence.
Mr Kennedy stated: “This influx of talent from diverse industries outside of animal or human health reflects a strategic evolution and a proactive response to evolving market demands, as companies seek to ‘import’ fresh perspectives and skills into their leadership teams. At the same time, internal promotions remain vital for recognizing and advancing long-tenured employees, leveraging their deep institutional knowledge.
“An examination of executive departures reveals a complex pattern. While some leaders transition to new roles within or adjacent to the animal health ecosystem, a notable number are opting for self-employment, advisory capacities or a career break, often at ages traditionally considered pre-retirement.
This trend suggests a redefinition of senior professional engagement, highlighting a desire for greater autonomy and flexible work arrangements. It underscores the importance of robust succession planning and adaptive retention strategies.”
He suggested the appointments and moves within the animal health sector so far this year emphasize the industry’s “pivot towards enhanced operational efficiency, digital integration and a growing focus on sustainability initiatives”.
Mr Kennedy also commented: “I was surprised to see the low percentage of people being appointed in technology, digital or artificial intelligence roles, given digital transformation and artificial intelligence are such hot topics in the sector. However, this could be an anomaly as previous quarters did contain a large percentage of such appointments, or it might indicate each company will hire a smaller number of talents in these areas, and we could be reaching saturation point. Future quarterly analyses will tell us the true story.”
WittKieffer has previously suggested there is a dearth of executive team members with a veterinary background among leading animal health companies.
