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Boots chief executive officer Ornella Barra is stepping down after leading the British drug store chain for almost a decade.
Barra will become chair of the board of directors, replacing her partner Stefano Pessina, and will oversee the company’s ESG agenda. Pessina, who is also a major shareholder in Boots, will stay as a director, the company said Monday.
Boots’ former owner Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc. was bought last year by Sycamore Partners for $10 billion, in a transaction which allowed Pessina to increase his stake. Boots was separated from the US pharmacy business to operate as a private, UK-headquartered company led by Barra.
Beyond the British chain, The Boots Group includes pharmacy-led health and beauty businesses globally, along with a pharmaceutical wholesale operation in Germany. Barra has led the company since 2016 when she became co-chief operating officer of Walgreens Boots Alliance.
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Anthony Hemmerdinger, Boots senior vice president and managing director responsible for UK, Ireland and Opticians, will take on more responsibilities including the No7 Beauty label and all group-level functions, the company said.
By Katie Linsell
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