Merger of pet businesses

Nestlé SA is combining its North American and Latin American pet products businesses into a single operation. The new entity, Nestlé Purina PetCare Americas, is based in St. Louis (Missouri, USA). The consolidation became effective 1st of July 2004. In the shift, W. Patrick McGinnis, president and CEO of Nestlé Purina PetCare, will maintain his current titles within the new organization. Joe Weller, chairman and CEO of Nestlé USA, will continue his role as chairman of Nestlé Purina PetCare USA. The company also reported that Joseph Sivewright, vice president of the PetCare Global Strategic Business Unit, has been appointed president of Nestlé Purina PetCare Latin America and Caribbean.