Lloydspharmacy parent company Celesio has surrendered its top boardroom positions to McKesson, following its takeover by the US healthcare giant in January.

Marc Owen, president of McKesson's speciality health division, has been appointed chairman of Celesio's management board, the European pharmacy company announced yesterday (May 22).

McKesson senior vice president and chief financial officer Alain Vachon will take over from Marion Helmes as Celesio's chief financial officer, it said.

Marc Owen, president of McKesson's speciality health division, has been appointed chairman of Celesio's management board	More on Celesio Lloydspharmacy performance lifts Celesio profits Video: The strategy of Lloydspharmacy under Celesio In depth: The United States of Celesio
	Both changeovers will come into effect on July 16, when Ms Helmes will stand down as speaker of Celesio's management board - a position she has held since chief executive Markus Pinger was ousted from the board over a difference of opinion last year.

John H Hammergren, McKesson chief executive officer and chairman of Celesio's supervisory board, said Mr Owen was a "talented healthcare strategist".

"With his broad experience across all sectors of healthcare, combined with his deep knowledge of the European market, Marc is uniquely qualified to lead Celesio as it becomes part of McKesson," he said.

Last week, Celesio reported a 0.3 per cent revenue increase to £4.4 billion in the first quarter of 2014, which it attributed to a strong performance from Lloydspharmacy. The company forecast even stronger growth from 2015 through the "rapid realisation" of its European Pharmacy Network model, which will be opened up to independents later this year.

In January, McKesson confirmed it would buy Celesio, a week after both parties revealed the deal had fallen through due to the reluctance of Celesio shareholders to sell up.

The following month, Celesio UK managing director Cormac Tobin told C+D that the takeover by McKesson was unlikely to affect Lloydspharmacy's strategy.