Shake-up at Boots to see Ornella Barra step down as boss and replace her partner Stefano Pessina as chairman
A shake-up in leadership at Boots will see Ornella Barra step down as boss and replace her long-term partner Stefano Pessina as chairman.
Barra – who has overseen the retailer since 2016 – said it was ‘the perfect moment’ to take on a ‘less operational role’.
Buyout group Sycamore Partners broke up Boots’ former owner Walgreens Boots Alliance in August following its £7.4billion takeover of the US group.
This created The Boots Group, which includes the chemist’s UK and Irish chains, Boots Opticians and the No7 Beauty company, as well as a pharmaceutical wholesale arm in Germany.
Barra, 72, said: ‘The Boots Group is in great shape.’ Pessina, 84, will remain as a director.
As part of the shake-up, Anthony Hemmerdinger, who runs Boots in the UK and Ireland, will oversee the No7 Beauty Company in a step-up from his current role.
Power couple: Ornella Barra (pictured with partner Stefano Pessina) has overseen Boots since 2016
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Buyout group Sycamore Partners broke up Boots’ former owner Walgreens Boots Alliance in August following its £7.4bn takeover of the US group.
This created The Boots Group, which includes the chemist’s UK and Irish chains, Boots Opticians and the No7 Beauty company, as well as a pharmaceutical wholesale arm in Germany.
Barra, 72, said: ‘The Boots Group is in great shape.’ Pessina, 84, will remain as a director.
Barra, 72, said: ‘The Boots Group is in great shape.’Pessina, 84, will remain as a director.
