Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA) has appointed Anthony Hemmerdinger as managing director of Boots UK and Ireland, effective 4 November 2024.
In July, the retailer announced that current managing director Seb James would be stepping down in November after six years at the helm.
Currently, Hemmerdinger serves as retail and operations director at Boots UK - a position he has held since September 2022.
Ornella Barra, EVP and chief operating officer, international at Walgreens Boots Alliance, stated, “Anthony is a great leader with extensive retail experience. His deep understanding of our business, passion for brilliant customer service and strong relationships will ensure a seamless leadership transition and enable us to build on our transformation journey apace.
“Since he joined the Boots team in 2022, Anthony has successfully guided our retail and operations team through our change journey, which has delivered consistent growth across all our categories. I am confident that he, together with our talented leadership team, will ensure that Boots maintains its very positive trajectory.”
Anthony Hemmerdinger
Hemmerdinger brings over 30 years of experience in the UK retail sector and is a principal member of the leadership team under which Boots has undergone a transformation.
He has spearheaded the company's beauty re-fit and brand expansion programme and was instrumental in implementing enhanced healthcare and beauty services in-store.
He spent 17 years at Marks & Spencer, followed by senior operational and strategy roles at Greene King, Sainsbury's and Carphone Warehouse.
He then stepped in as the chief operating officer at Asda, where he spent six years leading company operations across its UK retail portfolio, before joining Boots.
Commenting on his new role, Hemmerdinger, stated, “Boots is a terrific business that holds a unique position at the heart of the UK’s health and beauty sector, and I am extremely proud of all we have achieved over the last few years.
“This is an exciting time for the company, and I look forward to working with Ornella and the wider team to deliver against our ambitious strategy and build on our great momentum.”
