Walgreens appoints George Fairweather as global chief financial officer

Fairweather was previously group financial director of Alliance Boots.

He succeeds Tim McLevish who is to continue as senior advisor to the chief executive for finance, integration and business development.

McLevish and Fairweather will work together on the transition to a combined global financial operation.

Fairweather also led the financial integration of the Alliance merger with Boots, and earlier in his career worked at Dixons.

Acting chief executive Stefano Pessina said: “My years of working and collaborating with George as he led Alliance Boots’ financial organization give me every confidence that he will step into the global role for Walgreens Boots Alliance smoothly and effectively as we move ahead with our vision to establish a new global leader for our industry.

“I also want to personally thank Tim for his outstanding leadership and service during this important transitional time. We are very fortunate to have had two world-class CFOs at the company, and I sincerely appreciate the indispensable role Tim played to enable us to accelerate the close of the merger transaction before the end of 2014.”