Ms Lavery was appointed director of pharmacy at Boots in November 2020, becoming the first woman to hold that role.

She retired on June 30, leaving the multiple after 34 years, a Boots spokesperson told C+D yesterday (July 18).

Read more: Boots exec Richard Bradley leaves multiple after 23 years

Before being appointed director of pharmacy, she held various management roles, including director of stores in the UK and head of region for Boots in Northern Ireland, Boots wrote on its website.

“As a trained pharmacist with a wealth of experience as a healthcare and beauty leader, Bernadette’s longstanding career at Boots makes her a true expert on the company and its values,” the multiple said.

Responsibility for pharmacy will fall under the remit of Jamie Kerruish, who has been appointed director of healthcare, the Boots UK spokesperson told C+D.

Mr Kerruish was previously category director for beauty at Boots UK and vice president of commercial strategy for Walgreens Boots Alliance, a role he took in October 2016.

He first joined the multiple as category manager in 2007.

Read more: Boots UK: Parent company decides against selling pharmacy chain

Last month (June 28), Boots’ parent company Walgreens Boots Alliance decided against selling the UK pharmacy chain, citing a “dramatic change in the market” that resulted in no prospective buyers being able to offer a sum acceptable to the company.

However, Walgreens Boots Alliance remains “open to all opportunities to maximise shareholder value”, chief executive officer Rosalind Brewer told investors during the company’s financial results conference call on June 30 – mere days after calling off the sale.