Parsippany-based Zoetis Inc. announced Thursday Kristin Peck would succeed Juan Ramón Alaix as chief executive officer, effective Jan. 1, 2020, and join the board of directors, effective immediately.

Alaix, who has been CEO of Zoetis since its formation in 2012, decided to retire effective Dec. 31, 2019. He will act as an advisor on the leadership transition through Dec. 31, 2020.

Peck currently serves as executive vice president and group president of U.S. operations, business development and strategy, and has been a member of the Zoetis executive leadership team since the company’s formation in 2012. She will remain in her current position until the transition is complete on Dec. 31, 2019.

“Kristin is the right leader for Zoetis’ future,” said Alaix in a statement. “She is an advocate for our customers’ needs, a champion of Zoetis’ culture and values, and an inspirational and collaborative leader for our people and industry. Her strategic vision and proven track record of performance throughout her tenure at the company, as well as her operational experience and deep customer knowledge, have her well-prepared to drive Zoetis’ continued growth for the benefit of all our key stakeholders.”

“Zoetis plays an essential role in caring for the pets and livestock that enrich people’s lives, and I am grateful for the opportunity to lead our company as the next CEO. I look forward to working with the board, Juan Ramón and the Zoetis executive team on this transition,” said Peck. “We will continue to serve our customers, colleagues, shareholders and society by advancing animal health, and we will remain committed to building on the strategies, diverse portfolio, talented people and financial discipline that have been critical to our success.”

Michael McCallister, chairman of the board of directors of Zoetis, said Peck has been an integral part of the management team that has firmly established Zoetis as the world leader in animal health.

“As head of U.S. operations, she has been an innovator around customer experience, creating new customer loyalty programs and investing in digital tools, campaigns and direct-to-consumer advertising to support our growth,” McCallister said. “She has a disciplined growth mindset when it comes to leading our business development and strategy functions, and, earlier in her tenure, she helped drive improvements in manufacturing and supply chain to make them more efficient.

“Kristin has the passion, talent and experience necessary to lead Zoetis in the next stage of its journey,” he said.