Former boss of the bookseller and stationer Stephen Clarke has been appointed chief executive of IVC Evidensia, Europe’s largest chain of vets, according to The Times.

Clarke will be reunited with his predecessor at WHSmith, Kate Swann, who is chair of IVC Evidensia. The company has 1,317 clinics in 11 countries employing 19,000 people.

He stepped down from his role as chief executive of WHSmith at the end of October after six years in the role.