Boots hires Tesco boss for UK arm

Retailer Boots the Chemists today said it had poached a senior boss from rival Tesco to help it revive its core UK stores business.

Boots said it had appointed Scott Wheway, 38, as retail director in charge of running its 1,400 outlets across the country.

Mr Wheway has worked for Tesco for 20 years and currently is the chief executive of the Cheshunt-based supermarket chain’s Japanese operation.

He will join the Boots team in the New Year and take up his new role from the start of the 2005/6 financial year in April.

Mr Wheway will report to Boots’ new chief executive Richard Baker, who has embarked on a major restructuring to revive the performance of its core business and fend off competition from supermarket rivals.

As part of the overhaul, the group has introduced longer opening hours, extended Sunday openings, modernised pharmacies and introduced clearer signs in stores.

Eighteen months ago, Boots pulled the plug on its brief foray into Wellbeing services such as manicures and massages while it recently announced plans to offload its dental care and chiropody businesses.

Mr Baker said Mr Wheway had excellent hands-on experience at all levels within Tesco.

He added: “Scott has lived and breathed the success that is delivered from being a customer-led organisation and will add a great deal to our management team.”

The group’s current retail director, Alex Gourlay, will remain on the executive team and take responsibility for developing aspects of Boots’ long term growth initiatives.

Mr Wheway said: “There is plenty of hard work ahead and I look forward to applying my experience to these exciting challenges.”