Nestlé Purina hires first female CEO since its founding

The Missouri-based pet-care brand has hired Nina Leigh Krueger as its eighth CEO and first female to hold that position in the company since its founding in 1894. Krueger has been with Nestlé Purina for 27 years and succeeds Joseph Sivewright.

St. Louis-based pet food company Nestlé Purina PetCare has tapped Nina Leigh Krueger to become the first female chief executive officer in company history.

Currently the president of Nestlé Purina U.S., Krueger will take over as president and CEO of Nestlé Purina PetCare for the Americas effective Jan. 1, the company announced Monday in a press release. She will become just the eighth chief ever for the company, which dates back to 1894.

Joseph Sivewright, the company’s current CEO, will become its new chairman.

Krueger has worked for the pet food maker for 27 years. She became chief marketing officer in 2015 and ascended to her current role in 2016.

Siverwright was appointed president of Nestlé Purina North America in 2011, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports, and has overseen efforts including the acquisition of Merrick Pet Care in 2015. The company reported revenue of $9.4 billion in 2019.