Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc. has appointed Tim Wentworth as its new Chief Executive Officer, effective on October 23. Wentworth will also join the WBA Board of Directors upon assuming the role.
 
This news comes months after Boots announced plans to close 300 stores in the UK and an additional 150 Walgreens branches in the U.S. over the next year. The strategic move is part of a broader effort by Walgreens Boots Alliance to optimize its store locations.

Experience

Most recently, as founding CEO of Evernorth, Cigna’s health services organization that partners with health plans, employers and government organizations, Wentworth brought together health service capabilities including care provision, pharmacy solutions and benefits management.
 
Prior to Cigna, Wentworth was CEO of Express Scripts, the largest pharmacy benefit manager in the United States, following the company's merger with Medco Health Solutions Inc. in April 2012. He grew it into a Fortune 22 company with more than $100 billion in revenue and 26,000 employees, also ranking number 66 on Forbes Magazine’s list of the World’s Most Innovative Companies.
 
Previously, he led Medco's employer and key accounts organizations for nearly 14 years, also serving as President and CEO of Accredo, Medco's specialty pharmacy. Prior to joining Medco, Wentworth spent five years at Mary Kay Inc., where he initially served as Senior Vice President of Human Resources and later, President of its international business. He also held roles of increasing responsibility over nine years in human resources management at PepsiCo. He has an associate's degree in business from Monroe Community College and a bachelor's degree in industrial and labor relations from Cornell University.

Achieving Better Outcomes

Wentworth joins WBA at a pivotal time, as the company focuses on right-sizing the business, while driving execution and creating greater value for employees, patients, customers and shareholders. WBA’s goal is to be the independent partner of choice, not just in pharmacy but also in healthcare services where it can improve healthcare, lower costs, and help patients.
 
“The WBA Board has been focused on bringing in a CEO with deep healthcare experience, and we are pleased to welcome Tim Wentworth as the company’s new CEO. He is an accomplished and respected leader with profound expertise in the payer and pharmacy space as well as supply chain, IT and Human Resources. We are confident he is the right person to lead WBA’s next phase of growth into a customer-centric healthcare company,” said Stefano Pessina, Executive Chairman, WBA. “I look forward to working with Tim, as well as the rest of the Board and WBA leadership, to lead WBA into a successful future. I also want to thank Ginger Graham for her leadership and immense commitment to our people and operations during this interim period. We look forward to welcoming her back as the Board’s Lead Independent Director.”
 
“I am honored and excited for the incredible opportunity to lead the next phase of WBA’s evolution, working with the Board and WBA leadership to deliver sustainable value and results. WBA has a differentiated model with the power to build on the company’s pharmacy strength and trusted brand to evolve healthcare delivery. I believe in WBA’s vision to be the leading partner in reimagining local healthcare and well-being for all,” said Mr. Wentworth.
 
“I’ve spent my career working to improve the health of the patients we’ve served. I believe WBA is well-positioned to deliver more personalized, coordinated care, and achieve better outcomes at a lower cost. I fully recognize the challenges that health plans, healthcare providers, pharmacies, and retailers are confronting today and am confident that WBA, and its customer- and patient-focused teams, can seize the opportunities of a dynamic marketplace and be the partner of choice.”