Stefano Pessina facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Stefano Pessina
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Pessina in 2010
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| Born | 4 June 1941 Pescara, Italy
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| Education | Polytechnic University of Milan (BS) |
| Title | Executive chairman of Walgreens Boots Alliance |
| Term | 2021–present |
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| Children | 2 |
Stefano Pessina, born on June 4, 1941, is a very successful businessman from Italy and Monaco. He is known for being the executive chairman of Walgreens Boots Alliance. This means he is a top leader at one of the world's biggest companies that sells health and beauty products. He also owns the largest share of the company.
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Early Life and Education
Stefano Pessina was born in Pescara, Italy. He grew up living in different Italian cities like Milan, Como, and Naples. He went to the Polytechnic University of Milan. There, he studied nuclear engineering. After university, he worked in academics for a while. He also joined a company called ACNielsen in Milan, which does market research.
Building a Business Career
In 1977, Stefano Pessina took over his family's business. It was a company that distributed medicines in Naples. He worked hard and transformed it into a large company called Alliance Santé. This company became a major pharmaceutical wholesale group in France and Italy.
Joining Forces with Other Companies
In 1997, Alliance Santé merged with another company called Alliance UniChem. Stefano Pessina was the CEO of this new company from 2001 to 2004. Later, he became its chairman. In 2006, the company merged again, this time with Boots. Boots is a well-known health and beauty retailer.
Leading Walgreens Boots Alliance
From 2007 to 2014, Stefano Pessina was the chairman of Alliance Boots. Then, in 2014, Alliance Boots joined with Walgreens, a big pharmacy chain in the United States. This created a huge new company called Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA). Stefano Pessina became the executive chairman of WBA. This means he helps lead the company's overall strategy and direction. In July 2020, he stepped down as CEO of WBA but continued as executive chairman. He is also a director at the Consumer Goods Forum, which is a global network for consumer goods companies.
Personal Life
Stefano Pessina is married to Ornella Barra. She also works at Walgreens Boots Alliance as the chief operating officer for international operations. Stefano Pessina was previously married to Barbara, and they have two children. As of October 2024, his wealth was estimated to be around US$6.7 billion.
Awards and Recognitions
Stefano Pessina has received several awards for his achievements in business:
- In 2013, he was honored as a Grand Official of the Order of the Star of Italy.
- In 2016, he received a Special Achievements Award in Business from the National Italian American Foundation (NIAF).
- In 2017, he was given the Golden Plate Award by the American Academy of Achievement.
- In 2018, he was inducted into the World Retail Hall of Fame.
