Senior Advisor, Sycamore Partners
People & Perspectives
Roz Brewer after one year at WBA: “Challenge the status quo”
Roz Brewer on leading during a pandemic, what the future of healthcare looks like and her thank you message to WBA team members.
By Sarah Cason
One year ago today, Roz Brewer was appointed CEO of Walgreens Boots Alliance.
When Brewer stepped into the role during the height of the pandemic, WBA was already uniquely positioned to make a meaningful impact as an administrator of COVID-19 vaccines and tests. But Brewer saw a specific need—for more accessible, equitable healthcare—and a specific way that WBA could respond—by utilizing its already vast footprint in local neighborhoods to become a personalized provider of health services.
In mid-October 2021, Brewer hosted the company’s first Investor Conference in years, along with WBA’s first global team member townhall. At these events, she and her executive leadership team launched the company’s new vision, purpose, values and strategic priorities.
WBA’s vision is to be the leading partner in reimagining local healthcare and wellbeing for all. The chief way through which Brewer intends to bring this vision to life is through the creation of Walgreens Health. Supported by majority investments in VillageMD, Shields, and CareCentrix, the new initiative will offer Walgreens customers and patients more comprehensive, navigable and localized healthcare at their local Walgreens stores. This news was on the heels of raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour for Walgreens team members in phases with full implementation by Nov. 1, 2022, and on the cusp of adding three more women to WBA’s leadership team.
The evolutions within WBA are making an impact already. Just last week, Fast Company named Walgreens 2022’s Number One Most Innovative Company in the health category. Fast Company cited Brewer’s long-term plan to transform local pharmacies into personalized healthcare destinations as the basis for including Walgreens among companies reshaping their industries.
It’s been quite a year. Watch Brewer below as she reflects on WBA’s progress as a global healthcare company while battling a pandemic, the goals she’s set for year two and her No. 1 message to team members: 'thank you'.