2015
Alexander Gourlay
Honorary Degree of Doctor of Business Administration in recognition of his significant contribution to leadership in the UK health and beauty industry, and the international position of the Nottingham-based Boots company in this field.
He started with Boots the Chemist as a Saturday shop assistant, but Alex Gourlay now presides over a major slice of the global pharmacy and healthcare business of Walgreens Boots Alliance from company HQ in the Deerfield suburb of Chicago.
As Executive Vice President and also President of Walgreen Co, he oversees customer experience, US merchandising, marketing, customer insights, daily living products and promotions.
After qualifying as a pharmacist at Strathclyde University and joining the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, Alex soon moved into management roles across Britain. At the time of the Alliance Boots merger he became managing director of Boots, and in 2009, he was Chief Executive of the enlarged health and beauty division.