KatKin, the UK’s leading direct-to-consumer fresh cat food brand, has appointed Claire Tanner as Chief Financial Officer. This critical hire was a partnership between Faraday Partners, KatKin’s Co-Founders Brett O’Farrell, Nikki O’Farrell and Ed Westcott as well as KatKin’s investors Andrew Wynn, Lopo Champalimaud and Janice Cargo. It follows an extensive search campaign targeting exceptional financial leadership across consumer goods, e-commerce, and subscription-based businesses. Claire’s deep expertise in driving financial transformation and strategy at scale made her the standout candidate for this key appointment.
Claire joins KatKin from HelloFresh, where she has served as UK Finance Director since 2021, overseeing financial operations and contributing to the company’s growth in the highly competitive meal-kit market. Before that, she held pivotal roles at Ocado Retail, including Finance Director, where she led a 50+ person team across Finance Operations, FP&A, and Commercial Finance. Her leadership was instrumental during a period of significant change, including the establishment of Ocado Retail Ltd as a separate entity and the execution of finance transformation projects.
With over two decades of experience spanning high-growth startups, multinational FMCG companies, and retail giants, Claire has demonstrated a consistent ability to align financial strategy with commercial goals. Her tenure at Burton’s Biscuit Company saw her lead the board in implementing financial strategies that navigated challenging external markets while driving growth and operational excellence. Additionally, she has played transformative roles in companies like La Senza and Entertainment UK, focusing on commercial finance and strategy.
In her new role at KatKin, Claire will report to Brett and Ed who are also present-day Co-CEOs, and play a critical part in scaling the company’s operations, building resilience, and driving long-term value creation. Her appointment comes at a pivotal moment as KatKin continues to disrupt the pet food market with its fresh, vet-formulated recipes tailored to cats’ nutritional needs.
The assignment was led by Nick Fairclough, Managing Partner and supported by William Batt, Analyst at Faraday Partners.
