Walgreens 2014 Annual Report Download - page 5

with AmerisourceBergen. Alliance Healthcare
also will be a key “enabler,” our bridgehead
for expansion into emerging markets, both
as a wholesaler and a retailer.
Our new Global Brands function will, among
other things, support the front-of-store
transformation at Walgreens, bringing new
and inspiring products to communities all over
America. Through global customer insight,
combining feedback from our leading Boots
and Walgreens loyalty programs, and strategic
worldwide supplier relationships, we plan to
strengthen the value of our own brands. And
we will harness our cross-divisional Global
Pharmacy Market Access group in an eort
to shape and drive fruitful relationships with
manufacturers and suppliers—with the goal
for Walgreens Boots Alliance to be their
first and undisputed partner of choice.
Longer-term, our plans for the growth and
expansion of Walgreens Boots Alliance will be
built on three pillars.
First, we will seek and seize further synergy
opportunities—while continuing to optimize
our cost base across the enterprise. Second,
we intend to boost our organic growth by
making the most of a more integrated
wholesale-retail model and brands. Third,
we will seek to generate and seize relevant
merger and acquisition and strategic investment
opportunities in mature and emerging markets.
More broadly, we will address new and evolving
challenges and opportunities in the USA
market, and leverage our position, especially
amid the changing healthcare system and
evolving retail consumer shopping market,
to play a larger and leading role. Furthermore,
we believe the size and depth of our network,
our long-term strategic relationship with
AmerisourceBergen, plus the promise of
our brands, put us in a strong position to
develop new oerings for USA consumers
and patients, and to excel in operational,
commercial and financial performance.
Emerging markets represent another
longer-term strategic opportunity we will
pursue and which we anticipate will play a
significant role in our future growth. For starters,
we believe we are well placed to be a catalyst
of change in the substantial Chinese market.
In parallel, our recent acquisitions in Mexico
and Chile position us well to become an
influential player in the Latin American market.
These markets, and rest of the world, are more
than growth opportunities for us. They create
further opportunities for Walgreens Boots
Alliance to advance the health and wellbeing
of communities around the globe.
Corporate Social Responsibility
Both Walgreens and Alliance Boots have been
known for their commitment to the people
and communities we serve, well beyond our
business. Combining forces and resources as
Walgreens Boots Alliance only enhances our
ability and sense of responsibility to help people
live healthier and happier lives. As in all we do,
connecting our people across the world, and
their passion to help others, promises new
synergies of service far beyond our commitment
and contribution today. As we forge a new,
expanded global program, we intend to report
our work and results annually. To Walgreens
Boots Alliance, corporate social responsibility
is much more than our duty. It is our passion,
and a powerful way to further achieve our
vision and purpose.
Outlook
We are excited by the chance our new enterprise
provides for our employees to make history
in our industry, to play a significant role in
stimulating new advances, to cross boundaries
and make a dierence on a bigger scale to the
lives of people around the world. Our ambition
exceeds simply being a global enterprise. We
want the Walgreens Boots Alliance impact to
resonate across borders, languages, local
cultures and needs, to all corners of the world.
Thanks to our new scale, dedication of our
teams and passion for the business, we can
truly be the world’s first choice for pharmacy,
wellbeing and beauty.
Thank you for joining us in that pursuit.
James A. Skinner
Executive Chairman
Stefano Pessina
Executive Vice Chairman
and Acting Chief Executive Ocer
10 April 2015