Rosalind Brewer has stepped down as CEO and a member of the board at healthcare and pharmacy retailer Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA).

Ginger Graham, lead independent director of WBA, was appointed interim CEO, while Brewer will continue to advise during the company’s process to identify a permanent CEO, which is being assisted by a leading global executive search firm.

Brewer assumed the role in March 2021, having built and led a team to set up the technology for a vaccine scheduling system, created a safe operating model for store labor, and developed a plan to drive vaccine equity. The company achieved considerable cost savings through its transformational cost management program during her tenure.

Brewer says she is grateful to have worked at Walgreens and proud of what they accomplished together.

“I am confident that WBA is on track to be a leading consumer-centric healthcare company, serving thousands of communities across the country, especially those that need access to healthcare the most. I look forward to watching the company continue its transformation to deliver localized healthcare.” 

Neil Saunders, MD of GlobalData, said that Walgreens is in a phase of change as it looks to consolidate and focus efforts on the US healthcare sector, which is not Brewer’s forte.

“The retail side of the business, where Ms Brewer has much more experience, is simply not an area that Walgreens wants to pursue as a major growth opportunity.”

This means a different sort of experience is needed to lead the business, Saunders commented, adding that the new permanent CEO will need to remember that it is possible to invest in both healthcare and retail.

WBA currently operates about 13,000 locations across the US, Europe and Latin America with a portfolio of brands including Walgreens, Boots, Duane Reade, the No7 Beauty Company, Benavides, and Ahumada.