MCLEAN, VA — Mars has tapped Kimberly West to head the corporate affairs division of the company’s veterinary care network, VCA Animal Hospitals.

As VP of corporate affairs, West is charged with building and leading the corporate affairs function, which includes reputational management. She leads internal and external integrated communications, executive and stakeholder engagement, corporate social responsibility and corporate brand.

West has been hired from within Mars, where she has spent the last three years as director of external communications. Before joining Mars, she held senior leadership roles at Booz Allen and FleishmanHillard.

West reports to VCA president Dr. Todd Lavender, DVM, and collaborates with Mars Veterinary Health corporate affairs VP Fabiano Lima.

Mars, whose pet care brands include Iams, Pedigree and Royal Canin, bought VCA hospitals in 2017 in a $9.1bn deal. The group operates more than 1,000 veterinary hospitals in the US, Canada and Japan and is part of Mars Veterinary Health.