Starbucks Chief Operating Officer Rosalind Brewer has been tapped as the new incoming CEO OF Walgreen Boots alliance — making her the only Black woman leading a Fortune 500 company.
Brewer will be replacing Stefano Pessina as the head of the drugstore chain and will begin her new continue to serve in her current position until the end of February.
Starbucks had announced Brewer’s departure earlier in the day, saying she is leaving at the end of February for a CEO position at an undisclosed publicly-traded company.
“She is a distinguished and experienced executive who has led organizations globally through periods of changing consumer behavior by applying innovation that elevates customer experiences,” said Pessina, who will transition to executive chairman of Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc.’s board, per AP News.
Prior to joining Starbucks in 2017, Brewer served as president and CEO of Sam’s Club, where she increased membership and enhanced merchandise there. The Spelman College was with Kimberly-Clark Corp. for 22 years. Brewer has a bachelor’s degree in chemistry and started as a scientist.
Brewer has also been an Amazon board member since 2019. Brewer will step down from the company’s board effective Feb. 16.
“As a member of Amazon’s Board of Directors, Roz Brewer has been hugely valuable because of her customer-obsessed mindset, passion for innovation, and focus on operational excellence. We’re thrilled to see Roz’s talent recognized by Walgreens and wish her success in her new role,” an Amazon spokesperson said in a statement.
“I step into this role with great optimism for the future of WBA,” Brewer said in a statement.
