Holland & Barrett names former WBA exec as Chair

Wellness retailer Holland & Barrett has announced the appointment of Alex Gourlay as Executive Chair. 

Gourlay was previously the Executive Vice President and Co-Chief Operating Officer of Walgreens Boots Alliance.

In this new role, Gourlay will help H&B "realise its potential to grow and support customers to make health and wellness a way of life for everyone at a time when health is so vitally important".

He succeeds Michael Casey, who has been Executive Chair since September 2021 and a non-executive board member since 2017. Casey will remain as a non-executive board member and will return to LetterOne to lead a new business unit for making impact investments.

Alex Gourlay, newly appointed Executive Chair of Holland & Barrett, said: “I have always had huge respect for H&B. It is a much-loved UK institution playing a vital role for health and wellness on an international scale.  The opportunity to help it through its next stage of transformation is genuinely exciting.

"Michael and the team have done a fantastic job positioning the business for a bright future. I thank them for that and am fully committed to taking their work forward successfully.”

Michael Casey, former Executive Chair and current non-executive board member of Holland & Barrett, said: “I’ve been privileged to be involved in H&B for over five years. I’m proud to have been a small part of its 150-year history helping people lead happier, healthier lives.

"H&B is a business with strong growth momentum, having just achieved its best Christmas trading period ever.  I have every confidence the team will go from strength to strength under Alex’s proven leadership."