Fortune - USA (2021-10 & 2021-11)

FORTUNE OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2021 13

it’s unique for a CEO.

The first thing I do in a new role is

take 90 days and just immerse my-

self. I always visit stores, but when I

would go into a Walgreens, they’re

not operating the way they typically

do. The question was, how do I feel

about this interim operating model?

I did something a little different this

time as well. I went to the competi-

tion to see how the new operating

models compare.

I also had to be very intentional

about meeting my direct reports one

by one by video. This just doesn’t fit

my natural style whatsoever. I never

would recommend starting a new job

during a pandemic.

BLAZING A TRAIL

Your accomplishments have often

been framed as your being “a first”

or “an only.” 2 Tell me honestly,

how does that make you feel?

When I got into the throes of evalu-

ating this opportunity, one of the

GETTING TO YES

I’m sure you got a lot of calls about

CEO jobs. What was it about WBA

that made you say yes?

BREWER: This was a tough one

because I was at Starbucks^1 and

having what felt like the time of

my life being in the coffee business.

I was about to become an empty

nester, thinking about things like, do

I want to start painting? Do I want

to start doing something creative in

my spare time? But I never thought

about a career change.

Timing is everything, and when

this call came in, we were dead

center in the pandemic. I couldn’t

think of anything else more impor-

tant than keeping people healthy. I

would not have done this for any

other company except for WBA,

quite honestly.

We’ve heard a lot about the chal-

lenges that come with starting a job

during a pandemic, but I imagine

THIS EDITED Q&A HAS BEEN CONDENSED FOR SPACE AND CLARITY.

The

Conversation

Brewer became the CEO of Walgreens Boots Alliance in March, soon after the

struggling pharmacy giant took on a key role in the COVID-19 battle as a vaccine

provider. We talked with the new chief (No. 6 on this year’s MPW list) about her

path to the corner office, the historic nature of her appointment, and what health

care and retail might look like in a post-pandemic world. INTERVIEW BY BETH KOWITT

ROSALIND BREWER

“This is 2021.

[A Black

woman

becoming a

Fortune  

CEO] should

not be that

big of a

deal. It’s

unfortunate

that it is.”

PHOTOGRAPH BY LUCY HEWETT