Mr Butt previously spent five years on Boots UK’s pharmacy leadership board between 2010 and 2015, where he developed new integrated services combining both NHS primary and secondary care sectors.

He also had a stint as Boots’ head of pharmacy and head of healthcare solutions, leading a “new, agile wing of the business” that focussed on developing clinical services.

Mr Butt has also held leadership positions at Lloydspharmacy, heading up the the UK healthcare services and business development team.

Mr Butt’s appointment marks the latest addition to the Alitam board, after the UK and Ireland chain snapped up former Avicenna managing and group executive director Bharti Patel in March.

Read more: Former Avicenna group executive director joins pharmacy chain Alitam

In January, the group’s CEO Feisal Nahaboo unveiled an ambitious plan to create a chain of “super pharmacies” focusing on disease prevention and clinical services.

His £1 billion ‘Pharmacy of the Future’ concept aims to bring together “a range of healthcare services under one roof” in 500 high street, “state-of-the-art wellness and medical centres” across the UK and Ireland.

 ‘Leaders in their field’

Mr Nahaboo commented that his vision for Alitam "requires extraordinary people to be at the helm".

“So, I’ve handpicked the leaders in their field,” he said of the new Alitam board.

Read more: Alitam group CEO reveals £1bn vision for 500 ‘super pharmacies’

“Following a year of continual engagement and negotiations, I’m delighted to announce this line-up,” he said.

Mr Butt and Ms Patel join strategists, entrepreneurs, pharmacists, and financiers on the board, including the former managing director of Credit Suisse, Zac Brech, and Lord Lieutenant of London, Sir Kenneth Olisa.