WBA names 2 key executives
Walgreens Boots Alliance is growing the ranks of its leadership, adding two new executives to its team. The retailer named Holly May executive vice president and global chief human resources officer and named Anita Allemand chief transformation and integration officer. The two will report to CEO Roz Brewer as members of her leadership team.
“Holly and Anita are both strong and proven leaders joining us at a pivotal, exciting time, and I’m pleased to welcome them to the WBA family,” Brewer said. “Holly brings a wealth of global human resources experience and will play a critical role in activating our purpose, vision and values as part of our new culture. And as we further innovate to meet the ever-changing needs of our customers and patients, Anita’s leadership, pharmacy expertise and passion for healthcare innovation will be instrumental in accelerating our strategies to serve as a neighborhood health destination.”
[Read more: Retailer of the Year 2021: Walgreens seizes its omnichannel opportunity]
May joins WBA from Abercrombie & Fitch, where she was global chief human resources officer, overseeing the company’s enterprise-wide HR and environmental, social and governance efforts. Other previous experience includes time at Starbucks as senior vice president of global total rewards and service delivery, which included work developing the company’s global compensation and benefits portfolio, as well as a variety of various HR, policy and governance functions. Before Starbucks, she held roles of increasing responsibility at ING, Voya Financial and Via.
When she joins WBA in late October, May will be in charge of strategy and direction for innovative global HR programs, policies and practices, as well as ensuring fair and equitable treatment for all team members. She will lead organizational design and effectiveness efforts, as well as talent management and acquisition, total rewards, DE&I and global mobility, among other programs.
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“I am very excited to join WBA at this pivotal point in the organization’s journey, and I look forward to working with my colleagues to ensure the company and its brands stand out as an employer of choice in the industry,” May said. “I have been inspired by Roz’s vision and commitment to creating the best possible workplace environment and culture to support WBA team members. I share her passion for innovation and look forward to further developing a world-class HR function to best support the company’s strategic priorities.”
Allemand, who has a doctor of pharmacy degree, will be moving into a newly created role at Walgreens Boots Alliance, supporting Brewer as a strategic thought leader and establishing an overall transformation agenda for the company as it moves forward in health care. She will work with divisional leaders to align them across transformation initiatives, with a particular focus on aligning their digital efforts. She also will oversee matters regarding the company’s transformation strategy and identify and develop relationships with healthcare players in the United States.
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Allemand, who joins the company Oct. 29, moves into the role from her position as senior vice president of health solutions for UnitedHealth Group company Optum, where she oversaw a portfolio that included health and wellness, consumer advocacy, case and chronic condition management and reducing the cost of care across total healthcare. Before Optum, Allemand spent 16 years with CVS Health in various leadership positions, ultimately serving as senior vice president of product innovation and development.
“I have always had a great passion for healthcare, and pharmacy in particular, and WBA is ideally positioned in so many ways to offer even more to patients. I look forward to us capitalizing on many future opportunities,” Allemand said. “Today’s healthcare landscape is dynamic and ever-changing, and the COVID-19 pandemic has further demonstrated the critical role that pharmacists can play across the spectrum of healthcare delivery. As we move forward, I’m incredibly excited about WBA creating innovative solutions to meet the whole-person health needs of the millions of customers and patients it serves each day.”