Walgreens' corporate operations VP tapped to lead health care for Boots in U.K. and Ireland
DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens and Alliance Boots on Tuesday announced that Richard Ashworth, Walgreens corporate operations VP for the Western United States, has been appointed as director of health care, health and beauty U.K. and Republic of Ireland at Alliance Boots. He will report to Simon Roberts, managing director, health and beauty U.K. and ROI.
In this new role, Ashworth will lead the development and delivery of the health care strategy for Boots in the U.K. and Ireleand.
“Richard’s two decades of health care experience, leadership and service to Walgreens in a variety of roles has been invaluable to our company as we continued to develop our strategy to transform community pharmacy," stated Greg Wasson, Walgreens president and CEO. "His move to Alliance Boots represents yet another step forward and is further testament to the strong and steady progress we are making in advancing our strategic partnership.”
“We are very pleased to welcome Richard to our group," agreed Stefano Pessina, executive chairman Alliance Boots. "His appointment further illustrates the progress we continue to make towards achieving our vision for the creation of the first global health and wellbeing enterprise. As he familiarizes himself with the U.K. and Irish markets, Richard’s experience at Walgreens will bring positive benefits to Boots and the delivery of its health care plans, as well as help further combine best practices of our two companies.”
As corporate operations VP for Walgreens since 2011, Ashworth, a pharmacist, led more than 2,000 locations in the Western division, where he was primarily responsible for the overall development and growth of all drug stores and health care points of care. Joining the company in 1992 as a service clerk, he has held various store operations leadership positions from pharmacy supervisor to market VP. He was promoted in 2007 to EVP of pharmacy benefit management services for Walgreens Health Initiatives, a subsidiary of Walgreens. In that role, he led sales and client services, clinical services and health outcomes, provider relations and the operating teams. In 2010, Ashworth was promoted to VP pharmacy operations, overseeing the clinical, operational and overall development of Walgreens pharmacies nationwide and implementation of pharmacy technology and services.