Rentokil Initial Appoints Mike Duffy as CEO

CRAWLEY, England – Rentokil Initial plc announced the appointment of Mike Duffy as chief executive and an executive director, effective March 16. He will join the company Feb. 16 as CEO designate.

Duffy succeeds Andy Ransom, who will step down as CEO and executive director March 16. He will continue to work with the company to ensure a smooth transition ahead of the company’s AGM May 7, said Rentokil Initial. 

Duffy, a U.S. citizen, will be based in North America. He brings more than 25 years of leadership experience with large U.S. businesses across B2B and B2C industries. Throughout his career, he has delivered successful business transformations through initiatives to improve the customer experience, employee engagement and financial returns, according to Rentokil Initial. These initiatives include optimizing commercial strategy, deploying technology to enhance the customer experience, and driving more robust processes and culture, the company said. 

Duffy is currently CEO of OnTrac, an American logistics company specializing in residential last-mile 
deliveries for e-commerce and direct-to-consumer brands. Prior to this, he was the CEO of FleetPride, Inc., an independent B2B distributor of parts and a full-service provider for the U.S. heavy-duty truck industry, which had over 350 locations across North America under Duffy’s leadership, said Rentokil Initial.

"We are delighted to announce Mike as our new chief executive," said Richard Solomons, chair, Rentokil Initial. "He is a successful business leader with a deep understanding of multi-site and route-based operations and customer acquisition strategies. He has a proven track record of delivering profitable growth and transforming businesses and has the right skills and capabilities to enable Rentokil Initial to realize its full potential over the coming years.

“On behalf of the Board, I want to express our gratitude to Andy for his enormous contributions and commitment to the company for 18 years and especially during his successful tenure as CEO, steering 
Rentokil Initial to become one of the world’s leading services businesses. We wish him all the very best 
for the future," continued Solomons. 

"It is an honor to be appointed as chief executive of Rentokil Initial, a company with an impressive global 
footprint and a leading position in the North American market," said Duffy. "I admire Rentokil Initial's commitment to its customers, its focus on innovation, and the dedication of its people. There is an exciting opportunity ahead to build upon the strong foundations in place to drive operational excellence, improved financial performance and incremental value for shareholders.”

“It has been the greatest privilege of my career to lead Rentokil Initial, and I want to extend my deepest 
thanks to every colleague who has contributed to our success," said Ransom. "We have built the world's largest Pest Control business, which, together with our global Hygiene and Wellbeing business, are a platform with the scale and capabilities to drive future growth. I am immensely proud of what we've accomplished, and I look forward to handing the baton over to Mike and working closely with him to ensure a smooth transition."