CNBC Changemakers

Kristin Peck

Illustration by Monica Ahanonu

Company: Zoetis
Title: Chief Executive Officer
Industry: Health care
Hometown: Connecticut
Notable in 2023: Received the first monoclonal antibody treatment approval for osteoarthritis pain in veterinary medicine, a new potential billion-dollar market.

The relationship between pets and their owners has strengthened dramatically over the past few years.

Partially due to the adoption boom that occurred during the pandemic as well as all the time spent together during that period, pet spending and ownership levels continue to grow as dogs and cats are now more often viewed as critical family members instead of just furry friends.

As that bond has grown, so too has the need for the advancement of care for animals, a challenge that Kristin Peck as CEO of Zoetis has helped her company take on.

Our ability to meet our customers where they are and understand big customer needs has been dramatically different by creating a culture where everyone feels included and can be their full selves.
Kristin Peck
Chief Executive Officer, Zoetis

Named CEO in 2020, Peck has kept the company focused on creating innovation solutions to health and wellness challenges for both pets and livestock, taking an approach to animal medicine much like human medicine.

For example, while monoclonal antibodies are becoming more common in the treatment of humans, it is rarely used in veterinarian medicine. In 2023, Zoetis launched a monoclonal antibody therapy drug for dogs called Librela in the U.S., which can help fight osteoarthritis pain. It's estimated that 40% of dogs in the U.S. show signs of osteoarthritis, a progressively painful disease.

It's that focus on finding new ways to predict, prevent, detect and treat animal illnesses that has not only led Peck and Zoetis to help pet owners, but Peck as well, as she told CNBC in November that her dog Poppy was now taking Librela to control osteoarthritis pain.

"When you see the difference that a product like Librela makes in a dog's life; she used to limp and never want to get up, and she's now jumping on the bed and playing with us outside," Peck said on CNBC. "That really changes what it is for a family."

Correction: Zoetis received the first monoclonal antibody treatment approval for osteoarthritis pain in veterinary medicine. An earlier version of this article misstated that fact.

Changemakers is an annual list spotlighting women whose accomplishments have left an indelible mark on the business world. Click here to view the full list and continuing coverage.