Walgreens and Alliance Boots will merge in February 2015. Retail Week speaks to Alliance Boots managing director of health and beauty for the UK and ROI and future president of Boots Simon Roberts.

Alliance Boots managing director of health and beaut for the UK and ROI Simon Roberts

What does the merger mean for Boots?

It is a significant moment for Boots, for a company that started in 1845 in Nottingham and is now at the heart of a global enterprise. I feel very proud and excited to be part of it.

But the announcement is really about the people in Boots and giving customers the best care.

And there are two iconic brands that have huge history and legacy behind them and it’s about bringing them together with the leadership team and creating something unique and special with a step-change in the market.

We’ve got bold plans for Boots to bring customers the best of health and beauty and pharmacy.

You are set to be president of Boots when the merger is complete, what will your new role entail?

My role has primarily two parts. First, to work with colleagues as part of the executive leadership team to help with strategy, ambitions and deliver the future attributes of the company. I’m looking forward to working with new colleagues and existing colleagues.

And seconds, to continue what I’ve been doing for the last eight months, working with a fantastic team of people.

It’s about taking advantage of the huge opportunities in the market and accelerating strategy and performance in the UK. Right now we’re working on some significant plans.

What will be the main focus for Boots going forward?

We’re determined to ensure that Boots is more in-tune with customers. We’ve already made big steps around our online platform, we’ve launched the Boots app and we’ve improved our order and collect proposition. We’ve begun to acquire pharmacies again and we had a big launch in No7 with Protect & Perfect this year.

And we have big plans for Christmas 2014. I’m very focused on making sure that we are fit for growth.

There is so much more potential in the business and the UK business is core to it.

This is a big opportunity to explore and ignite a new level of growth in Boots and make it more relevant to the customer and make their experience stand out.