Pet Circle cofounder Mike Frizell is stepping down as CEO after 15 years of leading the business and will replace Airtree’s Craig Blair as the company’s chair.
Former Woolies ecommerce exec Alistair Venn, who joined the business as chief operating officer five months ago, will step into the CEO role
Frizell cofounded Pet Circle in 2011. Airtree first backed the business during 2017’s Series A. Airtree cofounder Craig Blair has chaired the board since then and will remain a director. He praised the outgoing CEO and welcomed Venn’s ecommerce experience.
“Mike has poured more than a decade of vision, energy and resilience into building Pet Circle from a startup into a category leader and Aussie tech success story,” he said.
“Alistair has grown some of the country’s most recognisable eCommerce businesses and knows how to navigate the complexity of scaling fast while keeping the customer at the centre. He’s exactly the kind of leader Pet Circle needs for this next chapter.”
The business most recently raised $75m in 2023 and became a unicorn in 2021 when it pocketed a $125m Series C.
It’s now Australia’s largest online pet retailer, with more than 850,000 customers last year, but has faced slowing growth in recent years. FY2024 revenue reached $385 million. Around six million households have pets.
Frizell said Venn has the vision, capability and drive to take Pet Circle to the next level.
“In the time we’ve worked together, I’ve seen first-hand his ability to inspire teams, sharpen strategy and deliver results. I’m excited to support him in this role and partner closely from my position as Chair as we seize the opportunities ahead,” he said.
The privately-owned business has been investing in personalisation, warehouse automation and supply chain capability, also launching a new website with AI integration.
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