Petco Health and Wellness Company promoted its senior vice president of finance, Brian LaRose, to finance chief. 

In his new role, LaRose, who joined the pet health and wellness retailer in September 2020, will oversee Petco’s corporate strategy, financial strategy, performance, reporting, and long-range business planning. He will report directly to Petco Chairman and chief executive officer Ron Coughlin. 

Brian LaRose

“Brian is a seasoned leader and I’m thrilled he’s taking on this role,” said Coughlin. “He has already made a significant impact at Petco, including a key role during the IPO process and refinancing, resulting in a dramatically strengthened balance sheet. I know Brian will continue to provide strong leadership as CFO.” 

Before joining Petco, LaRose was the divisional chief financial officer for HP’s 3D business unit, where he led the separation management office during the separation of HP into two publicly traded companies. During his 20 years at HP, LaRose also led the company’s SEC reporting group and managed investor relationships in over 15 countries as part of the investor relations group. 

“I’ve seen first-hand just how powerful our unique model and focus on purpose-driven performance is in making a difference in the lives of pets and people,” LaRose said. “I look forward to helping lead Petco and enhance value for our stakeholders long into the future.”

LaRose replaces Mike Nuzzo, who will continue in his role as chief operating officer and president of Petco Services.

“On behalf of the board of directors and the team at Petco, I want to thank Mike for being a constant source of strong and experienced leadership bridging three critical roles as CFO, COO, and president of Petco Services through our transformation, during the IPO process, and the first half of 2021,” said Coughlin.  

Bruce Bennett via Getty Images