Dave Phillips
Well Pharmacy has announced that its chief executive, John Nuttall, will retire from the company in September 2019 after 17 years at the helm.
In a press release, a spokesperson for Well Pharmacy said Nuttall had “decided it is time to retire so that he is able to spend more time at home with his family and transition into future non-executive director roles”.
He will be succeeded by Seb Hobbs, who until April 2019 was president and chief customer officer of Signet Jewelers in the United States, which owns a range of UK retail jewellery stores including Ernest Jones and H Samuel.
Hobbs has also worked in senior management positions for outdoor retailer Blacks, and stationary retailer WHSmith.
In 2002, Nuttall took up the role of managing director at Well Pharmacy — then known as the Co-operative Pharmacy.
The Bestway Group bought the Co-operative’s pharmacy arm in 2014, at which point Nuttall became chief executive and led the pharmacy chain through its 2015 rebranding as Well Pharmacy.
Nuttall also oversaw the launch of Well Digital, an in-house start-up that includes an online NHS prescription service with around 60,000 registered users.
Under Nuttall’s leadership, Well Pharmacy also created a wholesaler division, Bestway Medhub.
A spokesperson for Well Pharmacy said that Nuttall’s “focus on these initiatives leaves Well Pharmacy best placed to succeed in an ever-changing sector”.
Hobbs will join Well Pharmacy as designate chief executive on 22 July 2019 and will work alongside Nuttall until the latter’s retirement in September 2019.
“I look forward to helping Well grow, especially in digital and through new ventures, as well as the core retail business and I’m eager to get started,” Hobbs said.
