THIRSK, YORKSHIRE, UNITED KINGDOM — Standing still is not a part of Fiona Fox’s DNA. She’s been on the move since her career began at Procter & Gamble (P&G) in 2004, and life hasn’t slowed down since. A decade at P&G was followed by eight years working around the globe at Mars, which led her to her current role as chief commercial officer at Inspired Pet Nutrition.

“Throughout my career, I’ve always worked hard to build a strong network, which is one of the things that led me to where I am now,” Fox said. “Opportunity came knocking and it couldn’t have been a more perfect opportunity or timing — and that brought me to my current role as chief commercial officer at Inspired Pet Nutrition.”

In the following Q&A, Fox shares how she and Inspired Pet Nutrition are working to make “great pet nutrition affordable and accessible to all.”

PFP: How did you get your start in the pet industry, and how did that experience lead you to where you are now?

Fox:  I had a classic start to my career on a graduate scheme. I graduated on Friday and started work on Monday — I never did believe in standing still. So, I did a quick relocation over the weekend, and that was the end of student life and the start of my career. I had the most wonderful start to my career in a tremendous learning environment, with huge responsibility and accountability from day one, and surrounded by world-class coaches and leaders.

I started in the FMCG (fast-moving consumer goods) industry in the Procter & Gamble (P&G) graduate scheme in 2004, and at that time, Iams and Eukanuba were P&G brands. So, I started my career in pet care. As a young grad, I remember being blown away that dogs were allowed in the office. I spent just over a decade at P&G, across many brands and categories, before joining Mars — where I spent the next decade. At Mars, I again worked on and off in the pet care business over the years and had the pleasure of working in several countries, so I have seen many different pet shops worldwide

Since then, I’ve enjoyed working internationally in Spain, Belgium and the Middle East. I had a great breadth of local, regional and global roles with ever-increasing scope and seniority. Throughout my career, I’ve always worked hard to build a strong network, which is one of the things that led me to where I am now. Opportunity came knocking and it couldn’t have been a more perfect opportunity or timing — and that brought me to my current role as chief commercial officer at Inspired Pet Nutrition (IPN). I joined IPN in 2022, and I can now say I’m fully-fledged pet-obsessed and can’t ever imagine a career outside of pet care.

PFP: What has been your biggest challenge — personal or professional — related to your work in the pet industry?

“Managing such a complex set of circumstances like the pandemic, global supply chain issues, record levels of inflation, Brexit and the lifestyle changes that come with all of this was incredibly tough,” said Fiona Fox of Inspired Pet Nutrition.

Fox: The last few years have probably been the toughest of many people’s careers, including mine. Managing such a complex set of circumstances like the pandemic, global supply chain issues, record levels of inflation, Brexit and the lifestyle changes that come with all of this was incredibly tough. At IPN, we have remained focused on our core DNA — our mission is to make great pet nutrition affordable and accessible to all. Staying focused on this has helped us manage our way through this tough period and provided a great guiding light, too.

PFP: Tell me about a professional accomplishment in the pet industry that you are proud of.

Fox: One of the accomplishments I’m most proud of is launching our Superfoods range for Harringtons. As I mentioned, part of our mission is to make great pet nutrition affordable and accessible to all — no matter the buyer’s price point — and our Superfoods range does just that. We’ve sold 580,000 units in the range across our 2024 financial year, which can feed 3.3 million medium-sized dogs, and this is a career highlight for me because it felt like an elevation of our mission, going the extra mile for our customers in a time when inflation is high. People are looking for nutritious but affordable options for their pets.

PFP: What is top of mind for you and/or your business in the industry right now?

Fox: Our financial forecast for the next five years is to more than double the business through organic growth and continue to democratize the areas where we can offer the consumers better value, plus M&A. In the coming years, we will see more waste removed from packaging and the supply chain, improved customer service, and a focus on growing our brands into new sub-categories. 

Ultimately, we aim to become one of the “Big Three” UK pet food manufacturers. We need to acquire more businesses and optimize the strength of our leading brands as they stretch into adjacent categories. Bringing new brands and manufacturing capabilities into the IPN platform will allow us to strive for even better pet nutrition that’s accessible to all.

PFP: If you could pick three trends influencing the industry today, which are the most important and why?

Fox: Humanization is a current trend — I often see doggie birthday parties and things like that on social media, and going back 10 to 15 years, this wasn’t a thing at all. We even have flavors like fish and chips or steak and chips within our portfolio, and of course Superfoods too.

Premiumization will also definitely continue. What’s important is that this doesn’t just mean spending more — it means where there is discernible value to the consumer and real benefit to the pet, then that premiumization is worthy, and the consumer will invest to achieve the benefit.

Finally, the role of animals in society is also evolving, and I think this will continue, too. They will have an ever greater and more valued role in society — from being part of the family to life, through the benefits they can bring to mental health or as company.

PFP: What is something about the pet industry that people outside of the industry may not realize?

Fox: We actually bring pets to work, and it’s more common than you would think to find people munching on the pet food.

PFP: What advice would you give to young people starting their careers in this industry?

Fox: Take the time to build your network; it will become a valuable asset throughout your career. Get some great mentors; their support will become indispensable to you. Rome wasn’t built in a day — listen, learn and focus more on growing and developing yourself and less on specific roles or others around you. Keep things in perspective, remember to stay healthy and balanced. And finally — my favorite quote is the age-old, “Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you are right.” 

PFP: Just for fun, do you consider yourself a dog person or a cat person? Or, if you have pets of your own, tell us a little bit about them.

Fox: I’m an animal person, but since we have a dog rather than a cat, I would have to say dog. At Christmas, we got a new dog, a Cavapoo puppy called Ruby, who is just the best.

PFP: Any final advice for other women in the pet industry?

Fox: Believe in yourself. As you climb the ladder, throw it back down and pull the next woman up. And read, “Lean In,” it’s the most wonderful book and was pivotal to many moments in my career; I would highly recommend it. There is a line in the book that’s something like, “What would you do if you weren’t afraid?” That’s helped me on more than one occasion make a bold career move or make a decision on a new role.

In her current role as chief commercial officer at Inspired Pet Nutrition, Fiona Fox is working to help the company double its business in the next five years through its portfolio of brands, which includes Harringtons, Wagg, AATU, Barking Heads and Meowing Heads. Prior to joining Inspired Pet Nutrition, Fox served as commercial director, global sales director and market director at Mars and held various roles at Procter & Gamble. She received a bachelor’s degree in International Business and Modern Languages from the University of Strathclyde.

Continue reading about other female leaders featured in our Women in the Pet Industry series.