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Treading Lightly with Marianne Lomberg, Business Executive Officer: Nestlé Purina PetCare

Nestlé External - Banner Carl

As the Business Executive Officer for Nestlé Purina PetCare, Marianne Lomberg's guiding values are as gentle yet purposeful and impactful as she is.

"There are four," she explains. "Step lightly on the earth and the creatures we share it with, find joy every day, honour life by living it fully without causing unnecessary harm (I'm vegetarian), and make the world better for my passing.

"Aside from keeping me on track on days full of distractions, those are all things I love doing, so if I'm engaged in a task at work or doing something with a friend that involves doing any or all of those four things, I feel the most alive!"

Like many employees nowadays, it is important for Marianne that Nestlé's culture and values reflect her own. "Particularly professionally, making the world better for my passing is really important to me," she says.

Nestlé East and Southern Africa Region's (ESAR) recently-released Creating Shared Value and Sustainability Report 2023 outlines how the company is making strides towards creating a better world for current and future generations - it's a company that is aiming to be a force for good, offering brands with a purpose.

One such brand is Purina PetCare which has recently re-entered the South African market under Marianne's guidance. "Making a difference to the lives of animals is close to my heart; I trained as a vet," she said. "Purina petfood is an excellent brand. I mean, food that makes human parents less allergic to their cats - that's life-changing stuff that can make a huge difference to people and pets!"

Purina PetCare has been available in South Africa since November 2023 and it's also available in Mauritius, with plans to grow into other ESAR markets. For now, the focus in on South Africa: making sure that there's enough of the right food in the right place at the right time - since Purina is produced in Australia - and getting creative with marketing through consumer and retailer education.

Marianne explains, "Pet parents aren't always sure why they should buy scientific vet food like Proplan, so we rely on retail staff to give good, honest advice. I love spending time teaching so that once the food is on the shelf, when people walk in with specific needs, staff know enough about Proplan to recommend it confidently."

Aside from what she's doing with Purina PetCare, the takeout from our conversation was perhaps more how Marianne is leading: by unapologetically being who she is and so giving other people permission to be authentic in achieving their goals, even - perhaps especially - in a senior leadership role. Marianne's colleague, Katie Billington, Nestlé ESAR Supply Chain Director, echoes these sentiments in her role as Nestlé ESAR's Supply Chain Director.

Marianne sums it up: "Being in a leadership role as a woman is important. Not only because we still have gender gaps higher up in business, but also to dispel the idea that women need to behave a certain way - to be tougher than nails - to be leaders.

"I feel that if I remain a gentle, considerate, down-to-earth person, I give other people permission to be themselves in a leadership position too. More importantly, it may even help other women see that they can be in a leadership position without changing who they are."