Walgreens names Tom Polen, CEO of med tech company BD, to board of directors

Walgreens today announced the appointment of Tom Polen to the company’s board of directors. Polen brings more than 25 years of experience advancing healthcare solutions and technologies to the Walgreens Boots Alliance board, as the company continues to accelerate its healthcare transformation and growth strategy. He will serve on the board’s Finance and Technology Committee.

Polen is the chairman, CEO and president of BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company), a medical technology company. Prior to his current role, Polen held several leadership positions within the company, including president and chief operating officer, president of the BD Medical segment and president of several worldwide business units within BD’s Life Sciences segment.

“I am pleased to welcome Tom to the WBA Board of Directors. I know his industry insights and leadership will be a great asset as we advance local healthcare and wellbeing to deliver sustainable value to our customers, communities, partners, and shareholders,” said Stefano Pessina, executive chairman, Walgreens Boots Alliance.

“Tom is a strong addition to our board. He joins at a pivotal time as we enter the next phase of our healthcare transformation,” said Roz Brewer, CEO, Walgreens Boots Alliance. “As the healthcare landscape continues to evolve, his extensive industry and technology experience will be a great benefit to delivering on our consumer-centric healthcare strategy and driving long-term shareholder value.”

Since beginning his career at BD in 1999, Polen has made significant contributions to the company, including the transformation of BD’s portfolio into higher growth and more impactful markets. He led BD through a number of strategic moves including the $12 billion acquisition of CareFusion, a medication management and patient safety solutions provider, and also spearheaded the company’s expansion into informatics and digital health solutions. In 2017, he led the company’s strategy for the $24 billion acquisition of interventional technologies manufacturer C. R. Bard, Inc. Shortly thereafter, he was named president and chief operating officer of BD and later became CEO in January 2020. He was appointed chairman of BD’s board of directors in April 2021.

As CEO, Polen has transformed BD into a innovative and technology-driven MedTech leader enabling the next generation of care through its focus on digital and automated solutions. The company is accelerating growth through a strengthened research and development pipeline, active portfolio management, and a robust simplification strategy that allows for prioritized investment in higher impact areas.

Polen said, “I’ve centered my career around working at and with companies that are making a positive impact on the lives of patients around the world and creating value for all stakeholders. Building on this passion, I look forward to joining the WBA Board of Directors and contributing to a company that has the potential to play a growing role in advancing and transforming the healthcare ecosystem and its shift into new care settings.”

Polen also serves on the boards of directors of AdvaMed, where he chairs the committee on Payment & Health Care Deliver Policy, and Hackensack Meridian Health Center for Discovery and Innovation, a subsidiary of Hackensack Meridian Medical Center. He is a member of the American Heart Association CEO Roundtable and serves on the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Advisory Committee on Supply Chain Competitiveness and its Manufacturing Competitiveness Subcommittee.