Boots Ireland has announced the appointment of Stephen Watkins as managing director to 'oversee its pharmacy-led health and beauty retail operations nationwide'.
In his new role, he will succeed Bernadette Lavery who has taken up a new role as director of Pharmacy with Boots UK.
Watkins will have responsibility for leading the team of over 2,000 staff across the company’s network of 89 stores and Head Office in Ireland, the retailer said.
'Successful Twenty-Year Tenure'
Watkins has had a successful twenty-year tenure at Boots in the UK where he has held a number of positions, most recently as director of Pharmacy and Digital Healthcare, where he was responsible for the Boots prescription service as well as leadership of digital healthcare initiatives.
He is a qualified pharmacist and has held various roles both in stores and within Head Office.
Watkins has relocated to Ireland to take up the role of managing director and will be based in the business’ Head Office in City West.
Watkins has led a diverse range of projects within Boots including the development of the first digital health platform for Boots.
According to Boots, he has also played a leadership role in negotiating with the Scottish Government to develop the pharmacy contract in Scotland.
Commenting on his appointment, Stephen Watkins, managing director, Boots Ireland said: "As the world continues to grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic there is a need for us to continually re-assess our customer offering."
"My experience in pharmacy and digital health will help in navigating these challenges as we continue to deliver products and services that are fit for purpose during these challenging times,” he added.
© 2020 Checkout – your source for the latest Irish retail news. Article by Donna Ahern. Click sign-up to subscribe to Checkout.
