Ornella Barra is Co-Chief Operating Officer for Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc.
Walgreens Boots Alliance is the largest retail pharmacy, health and daily living destination across the USA and Europe. Together with its equity method investments, Walgreens Boots Alliance has a presence in more than 25* countries, employs more than 400,000* people, and is:
- a global leader in pharmacy-led, health and wellbeing retail with over 13,200* stores in 11* countries
- one of the largest global pharmaceutical wholesale and distribution networks with over 390* distribution centers delivering to more than 230,000** pharmacies, doctors, health centers and hospitals each year in 20* countries
- one of the world’s largest purchaser of prescription drugs and many other health and wellbeing products
Born in Italy and now of Monegasque nationality, Ornella graduated from the University of Genoa with a degree in pharmacy and started out as a pharmacist, first managing and then setting up her own pharmacy.
In September 2016, Fortune magazine published its annual “International Most Powerful Women in Business” list (this year Fortune has ranked the 50 Most Powerful Women based outside the USA, including EMEA, India, Asia, and Australia) in which Ornella was featured in 10th position. Ornella has been ranked in the top 15 of the list every year since 2010.
* As of 31 August 2016, using publicly available information for AmerisourceBergen.
** For 12 months ending 31 August 2016, using publicly available information for AmerisourceBergen
In the late 80s, Ornella was appointed Managing Director and later Chairman of Alleanza Salute Italia, which later became Italy’s leading pharmaceutical wholesaler. She joined the board of Alliance Santé, an international pharmaceutical company and relentlessly remained at the forefront of every deal, helping to establish this company following a series of acquisitions.
At the end of the 90s, Ornella was appointed as board member and Executive Director of Alliance UniChem Plc. In 2006, Alliance UniChem Plc. and the Boots Group PLC merged, forming Alliance Boots and the following year Ornella became Chief Executive, Pharmaceutical Wholesale Division and later Chief Executive, Wholesale and Brands.
Ornella has played a leading role in the development and implementation of the partnership between Alliance Boots and Walgreen Co. (Walgreens), which merged to form Walgreens Boots Alliance on 31 December 2014.
Walgreens Boots Alliance has a long-term partnership with AmerisourceBergen, one of the largest global pharmaceutical sourcing and distribution services companies. In August 2016, Walgreens Boots Alliance exercised second tranche of warrants to purchase AmerisourceBergen common stock, reaching almost 24% of share ownership. The net earnings attributable to this investment are classified within the operating income of the company’s Pharmaceutical Wholesale segment run by Ornella Barra. In January 2015, Ornella was appointed to the Board of Directors of AmerisourceBergen.
Within Walgreens Boots Alliance, Ornella Barra oversees International Retail, which is part of the Retail Pharmacy International Division, Global Brands, as well as directing the Pharmaceutical Wholesale Division.
The Pharmaceutical Wholesale Division, which mainly operates under the Alliance Healthcare brand, supplies medicines, other healthcare products and related services to more than 110,000** pharmacies, doctors, health centers and hospitals each year from 288* distribution centers in 11* countries.
Ornella is also chair of the Walgreens Boots Alliance Social Responsibility Meeting. In this role, she oversees all corporate social responsibility activities across the Company and will be pivotal in building a strong platform for this agenda to thrive across Walgreen Boots Alliance.
* As of 31 August 2016 excluding equity method investments
** For 12 months ended 31 August 2016 excluding equity method investments