Walgreens appoints new non-executive chairman of the board

Walgreens has appointed James Skinner as its new non-executive chairman of the board. Skinner has been a Walgreens board member since 2005 and recently retired as CEO of McDonalds. He will succeed Al McNally, who had been the non-executive chairman since 2009. McNally has served on the Walgreens board since 1999 and will continue to serve on the board.

“As Walgreens moves forward with its strategy to become a U.S. and world leader in pharmacy-led health and wellbeing, Jim Skinner’s long experience on the Walgreens board, and decades of global success with McDonalds in expanding to Europe and emerging markets, make him an exceptional choice to lead our board into the future on behalf of shareholders and stakeholders,” said Bill Foote, Walgreens board director and chairman of the nominating and governance committee.

Skinner had served as McDonalds CEO since 2004 and in various national and global leadership positions for the company prior to that.

“Jim Skinner’s long and successful record in retail and customer experience, both across the nation and around the world, will be enormously helpful at a time when Walgreens is launching with Alliance Boots the first global pharmacy-led health and wellbeing enterprise,” Walgreens President and CEO Greg Wasson said.

Wasson also said, “Al’s [McNally] leadership on Walgreens board has helped to move this company and our iconic brand through an historic transformation and into a new century of service, success and growth potential. I have truly benefited and appreciated his sound counsel and advice during my three-and-a-half years as CEO. The value of his service to our board is – and I know will continue to be – immeasurable.”

This appointment is consistent with Walgreens board of directors’ succession and rotational planning process, the company said in a press release.