Walgreens replaces U.S. Healthcare president with former Solera Health CEO

Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA) continued the reorganization of its Executive Committee on Thursday, with the announcement that it is replacing executive vice president and president, U.S. Healthcare, John Driscoll. 

Walgreens Boots Alliance CEO Tim Wentworth has appointed health care industry veteran Mary Langowski to succeed Driscoll, who will transition into a senior advisory role with the company. 

The Deerfield, Ill.-based company also named Manmohan Mahajan executive vice president and global chief financial officer, a role he assumed on an interim basis in July 2023. Also, Walgreens named Elizabeth Burger executive vice president and chief human resources officer.  

“Today’s announcement solidifies the leadership team that will carry WBA into its future as we look to expand our reach beyond neighborhood pharmacies into the fastest-growing areas of health care,” Wentworth said in a press release. “We have a strong team with a track record of operational excellence and an unwavering commitment to the execution of our goals. The spirit of this leadership team is one of collaboration, transparency, and working effectively together. We share a sharp focus on the important goals in front of us, unlocking embedded profitability and reshaping our healthcare strategy to deliver sustainable value for our stakeholders.”

Langowski was promoted to the CEO role at Solera Health in 2020 after serving as its independent board director, where “she transformed the company with the launch of new condition product lines, a new technology platform, and a new economic model to support sustained growth in the business.

Prior to her time at Solera, Langowski was executive vice president and chief strategy and corporate development officer at CVS Health, where she oversaw development of the company’s health care services strategy and key parts of its acquisition in 2018. 

 In her new role at Walgreens, Langowski will head the company’s U.S. Healthcare segment as it expands its role in health care, Walgreens said. 

Mahajan, in his new role, will continue leading Walgreens’ growth and cost discipline efforts to align the company’s business performance and cost structure. Prior to stepping into the interim role last year, he served in a variety of positions at GE Capital, a former subsidiary of General Electric Company. 

Burger, the new executive vice president and chief human resource officer, previously served as senior vice president, chief human resources officer, at Flowserve, a provider of flow control products and services. She also held previous roles at Monsanto Company and Hanesbrands Inc.

The remainder of the executive committee includes:

The announcement comes at a time of major upheaval for the company, which cut 145 executive positions from its corporate workforce at the end of January. Last November, Walgreens cut 267 corporate staff members, which at the time represented 5% of its workforce. The company eliminated 400 positions in May 2023. 

 In October 2023, Walgreens named Wentworth CEO, following the departure of Rosalind Brewer, who left the position a month prior after serving in the role for three years.

 “As I reflect on my first few months at WBA, what has impressed me most is the experience, talent, and vision of our leaders and team members,” said Wentworth in the Feb. 8 press release. “With the additions to our team, this Executive Committee brings proven leadership and deep experience in health care, culture, and customer experience to accelerate our growth and lead the next chapter of our company for our team members, shareholders, and most importantly the customers and patients we serve.”