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DEERFIELD, Ill. – Walgreens has named two key leadership appointments: Tracey Koller, senior vice president and chief merchandising officer, and Sharmila Sudhakar, group vice president and head of Walgreens digital commerce. The company believes these new appointments will significantly contribute to its efforts with regard to the turnaround of the business as the company focuses on enhancing the front of store and omnichannel experience for its customers while driving in-store efficiencies.
“Our retail pharmacy business is uniquely positioned to expand the role we play in the lives of our patients who have come to expect and need retail pharmacy at the center of their care,” said Tracey Brown, executive vice president and president, Walgreens retail and chief customer officer. “To do this, we are investing in the industry’s best talent, which includes the addition of Tracey and Sharmila to the Walgreens leadership team. With their strong track records of delivering results in omni-channel solutions and merchandising, I know they will be critical contributors to our growth and success as we deliver an efficient, highly relevant customer experience.”
As the chief merchandising officer, Koller will be responsible for leading merchandising strategy across all categories, and the deployment of merchandising plans and programs that will drive Walgreens’ competitive advantage. This includes leadership of product mix, supplier relationships and merchandising operations.
Throughout her career, Koller has gained a reputation as a highly collaborative leader who is passionate about the integration of customer insights with products and services.
Most recently, Koller was chief merchandising officer at Party City. She brings more than 30 years of experience and a successful track record in omni-channel merchandising and operations at organizations including News Corp, Whole Foods and Target.
“I am amazed by the trust Walgreens has built in communities across the US and the impact the company has on the millions of lives it touches each day,” said Koller. “It’s an exciting time to join the Walgreens merchandising organization as the company sharpens its focus as a destination for areas it is uniquely positioned to lead, such as health and beauty and women's health, while also reevaluating its assortment to ensure its relevancy, leveraging select partners and Walgreens own brands.”
Sharmila Sudhakar is joining Walgreens as group vice president and head of Walgreens digital commerce, where she will be responsible for driving its digitally initiated revenue growth across various business lines, including retail products, pharmacy, photo services and health services and strengthening digital engagement through omni-channel solutions. In this role, she will lead the end-to-end digital team including digital planning and operations, partnerships, product management and analytics.
Sudhakar is a tenured omni-retail executive with deep digital experience and a proven track record of delivering profitable growth.
She joins Walgreens from Tailored Brands, where she served in a number of leadership positions, most recently as vice president / general manager of the North America ecommerce business for The Men’s Wearhouse and Moores. She brings more than 20 years of experience developing cohesive omni-channel assortments that reflect market trends and customer needs, launching and optimizing compelling omni-channel customer journeys and driving quality traffic through performance marketing channels for well-known brands including Walmart, Tile, Gap Incorporated and eBay.
“With a 125-year heritage, Walgreens has earned the right to engage with customers and patients in a way few others can rival, and it’s exciting to join at a pivotal time in the company’s history,” Sudhakar said. “I look forward to working with the highly talented team at Walgreens to accelerate our digital and omni-channel offerings that meet our customers when, where and how they want to engage.”
These leaders will begin their new roles in late August.
