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Holland and Barrett has announced the appointment of Alex Gourlay as its new executive chair.
He has taken over from Michael Casey who has held the position as executive chair since September 2021. Casey has also been a non-executive board member since 2017 and will also remain in that role.
Gourlay is a qualified pharmacist and until May 2021 he was the executive vice president and co-chief operating officer for Walgreens Boots Alliance.
Casey said: “I’ve been privileged to be involved in H&B for over 5 years. I’m proud to have been a small part of its 150-year history helping people lead happier, healthier lives. I am very grateful to my team and all of H&B’s colleagues who have worked tirelessly to support millions of customers through the pandemic while also undergoing a technology-led transformation to support each customer’s personal wellness journeys.
“H&B is a business with strong growth momentum, having just achieved its best Christmas trading period ever. I have every confidence the team will go from strength to strength under Alex’s proven leadership.”
Gourlay added: “I have always had huge respect for H&B. It is a much-loved UK institution playing a vital role for health and wellness on an international scale. The opportunity to help it through its next stage of transformation is genuinely exciting.
“Michael and the team have done a fantastic job positioning the business for a bright future. I thank them for that and am fully committed to taking their work forward successfully.”
His priority will be to “deliver the current plan” to help the company realise its “potential to grow”.
