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Boots owner WBA appoints former Amazon director as new CEO

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High Street chemist Boots revealed a 11.7 per cent hike in sales on a year-on -year basis during the fourth quarter, as the firm was bolstered by demand for skin care products and luxury beauty.
High Street chemist Boots revealed a 11.7 per cent hike in sales on a year-on -year basis during the fourth quarter, as the firm was bolstered by demand for skin care products and luxury beauty.

The owner of Boots will strengthen its team in March with the appointment of a business powerhouse as the new CEO and adding a new executive chairman to its board.

Previously chief operating officer of Starbucks Rosalind Brewer will join Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA) as chief executive officer.

Brewer, a former Amazon director, was the first woman and first African American to lead a Walmart division.

Brewer said: “The healthcare industry is constantly evolving, and I am excited to work alongside the entire WBA team as we deliver further innovation and positively impact the lives of millions of people around the world every day.

“This is especially true today as the company plays a crucial role in combatting the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Ranked 27th on Fortune’s 50 most powerful women in business, Brewer will succeed Stefano Pessina who will transition into the role of executive chairman of the board of WBA.

After six years at the company and overseeing a £9.6bn Walgreens and Alliance Boots merger in 2014, Pessina will replace James Skinner who will remain on the WBA board as a non-executive director.

Skinner said: “Our global position as an accessible healthcare provider in the communities we serve has never been so critical, and I am very confident in the company’s prospects for growth under Roz’s leadership.”