Watch Kristin Peck, President of Zoetis at Global Trends Festival 2020

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In five decades, the amount of greenhouse gases released in the production of a glass of milk in the US has halved. Thanks to new technologies, animals are not only healthier and more productive, but the livelihood of many people in poorer parts of the world is also improving," believes Kristin Peck, President of Zoetis.

• Zoetis has annual revenues of around USD 6 billion and employs more than 10,000 people worldwide.
• The need for productivity and efficiency in animal husbandry has never been greater than now, says Peck.
• Peck actively supports women. She is the author of the book "Perseverance" about motherhood. Together with her husband, she has gone through a long and traumatic journey, including five miscarriages, several infertility treatments and a story with a murderous nurse.

Out of love for animals

Zoetis is the world's largest manufacturer of vaccines and medicines for domestic and farm animals. Since January 2020, it has been headed by Kristin Peck. Previously, she led the company's global production and supply organisation, and from 2015 she was head of the company in the USA. Since 2018, Peck also managed the company's corporate strategy and development activities, including acquisitions.

Kristin Peck grew up on her parents' farm in Connecticut, surrounded by dogs, cats, horses and birds who were treated like family members. Her mother bred Morgan horses and her father helped organise the rodeo. Her first job, still in high school, was with Zoetis, which she manages today.

In an interview for the American “Successful Farming” magazine, she stresses that at some point in her life she realised how important it is for people to create new jobs.

- As a Georgetown University student reading History and Spanish, I spent a semester teaching Spanish to children in Ecuador. I took care of them and taught them the language so that their parents could find work. I soon realised that learning Spanish would not improve the future of these children if there was not enough economic growth to employ their families in these areas. That led me to take the business path as a way of creating opportunities for people," says Peck.

In an interview with the 'SF', the President of Zoetis points out that the need for productivity and efficiency in animal husbandry has never been greater than it is today, because the constraints resulting from the pandemic, the growing world population and the need to tackle environmental problems are still growing. The future lies in digital solutions. Sensors provide more information about the health of farm animals, and genetic testing is becoming increasingly important as producers can choose the healthiest and most resistant animal breeds.

- We also see greater emphasis on reducing the carbon footprint. We are trying to help producers improve production while using less resources to keep healthier and more productive animals. This is all thanks to new technologies and much better production methods. Those used in recent decades show the power of science and technology. In the 1970s, American farmers had to raise 140 million heads of cattle in order to meet consumer demand for beef. Today it is 90 million. Between 1964 and 2014, the amount of greenhouse gases associated with the production of a glass of milk decreased by 50%. Thanks to genetics, data, technology and new innovations, we will be able to improve the sustainability of livestock production," says Peck.

One example of the impact of science and technology on human life is the African Livestock Productivity and Health Advancement (ALPHA) programme run by Zoetis in sub-Saharan Africa. Under this initiative, Zoetis is increasing the availability of veterinary medicines, establishing permanent diagnostic networks and providing training and education to local farmers. In these areas, the population is extremely dependent on their livestock. It often turns out that a lack of vaccination, or an incompetent diagnosis of the disease leading to the infection of animals, means hunger for the entire families.

Zoetis during COVID-19

Zoetis, like most companies in the world, faces the consequences of the coronavirus pandemic. Kristin Peck had to face it less than three months after she took over the company. Zoetis is a big organisation. It has annual revenues of around USD 6 billion and employs over 10,000 people worldwide.

As the analysts stress, the company has a very balanced revenue policy, as it is divided 50/50 in terms of products for pets and livestock. Unlike many pharmaceutical companies, Zoetis is not dependent on any particular product. The best-selling drug, Apoquel, generated less than 10% of all sales in 2019.

Kristin Peck pointed out at the results conference that Zoetis expects worse figures this year, because some 3% of sales used to come from the Chinese market, and the global economic slowdown could affect the results. But Peck doubts that the coronavirus will stop the long-term trend of eating more protein. Even if it does, Zoetis will benefit from selling its products aimed at poultry.

Kristine Peck and helping women

Kristine Peck received the “Feather In Her Cap 2019” award for her involvement in the development of her employees, launching a leadership programme at Zoetis that provides training, mentoring and participation in strategic projects. Kristin Peck is also personally a mentor for many women in Zoetis.

Peck herself has written a book on motherhood and her experiences with it. Together with her husband, she has gone through a long and traumatic journey, including five miscarriages, a surrogate mother's miscarriage, several infertility treatments and a story with a murderous nurse. Kristin Peck has two children today. In her book she encourages women never to give up their dreams of building a family.

- Many women go through the same things, but do not talk about it. Therefore, the aim of this book is to help women who have fertility problems so that they do not feel lonely, and to build a certain dialogue about this," says Peck.

The book was based on Kristin's notes, which her husband encouraged her to record. Peck wrote down all of her thoughts and poured difficult emotions on paper. The e-book was published by Kindle Publishing. President Zoetis points out in her memoirs that she wanted sympathy from those around her, but often received good advice in return, which was neither helpful nor comforting.

"'People often said to me: You need to relax, some things could work properly, if it were not for your stress. I just wanted to hear: I'm sorry, I love you. I am here for you. What can I do to help you?" - writes Peck.

All the proceeds from the book are donated to charity.


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