Alliance Boots appoints new UK health and beauty director

Alliance Boots has announced the appointment of Richard Ashworth as its new director of healthcare for its health and beauty division in the UK and the Republic of Ireland.

Mr Ashworth is the current corporate operations vice-president for the western US at Walgreens and is taking up the new role with Alliance Boots as part of an ongoing partnership between the two organisations.

He will lead the development and delivery of the Boots healthcare offer for UK and Irish customers, working in close collaboration with the experienced teams in both countries.

Stefano Pessina, executive chairman of Alliance Boots, said: "Richard's experience at Walgreens will bring positive benefits to Boots and the delivery of its healthcare plans, as well as help further combine best practices of our two companies."

Alliance Boots and Walgreens first announced their strategic partnership in June 2012, a move that brings together two of the largest pharmacy chains in the UK and US, respectively.

In August 2013, Alliance Boots health and beauty chief executive Alex Gourlay moved to the US to take up a new role as Walgreens' executive vice-president and president of customer experience and daily living.