Leadership Succession Update at Dechra

02 September 2025

We are pleased to announce the appointment of Joyce McCarthy as Dechra’s new Chief Legal Officer and Company Secretary, effective 2 September.

Joyce will be based in the United States and will join the Senior Executive Team, bringing with her a wealth of experience in legal, compliance, and governance. 
 
This appointment follows Melanie Hall’s decision to take early retirement in 2026. Melanie has been with Dechra since 2010, serving in several key roles before becoming Company Secretary in 2017. Her deep knowledge of the business and longstanding leadership has been instrumental to our success.  

Joyce joins us from Central Garden & Pet Company, a Nasdaq-listed manufacturer of pet and garden supplies, where she served as General Counsel and Secretary. Prior to that, she held several senior leadership roles at Colgate-Palmolive, including serving as General Counsel of Hill’s Pet Nutrition.  

Her experience will be invaluable as Dechra continues to grow and evolve in a global market. 

Jesper Nordengaard, Dechra CEO, commented: 

“We are delighted to welcome Joyce to Dechra. Her extensive legal and governance expertise, combined with prior experience in the pet care sector, make her a valuable addition to our Senior Executive Team. I’d also like to express our sincere gratitude to Melanie for her outstanding dedication, and continued support during this transition.” 

We look forward to working with Joyce as she brings her expertise and leadership to Dechra, supporting our continued growth and strategic ambitions.