Animal Friends chooses new chief financial officer

Pet insurance provider Animal Friends has appointed Laura Barry as chief financial officer.

The appointee joins the insurer from the Lending Standards Board, where she served as finance director and was responsible for shaping the self-regulatory body’s financial strategy and growth.

Prior to working at the Lending Standards Board, Barry spent nearly nine years in various roles at Tesco, including head of international finance and head of finance – transformation.

Animal Friends managing director Westley Pearson said that the new hire’s “understanding of financial planning, control, business partnering and change management will be instrumental in helping us to further elevate and strengthen our strategic plans, both for the benefit of our colleagues and customers”.

“We are delighted to welcome Laura to Animal Friends,” he added.

Barry added: “I am inspired by how much Animal Friends Insurance gives back to worthy animal and environmental charities and uses the power of its voice and its like-minded customers to drive improvements in animal welfare.

“[It is] a high performing, dynamic and genuine organisation and I am very pleased to join the team during this exciting time”.

Since its establishment in 1998, Animal Friends has donated over £7m to more than 650 animal welfare charities and conservancies worldwide.