Glaxo appoints ex-Tesco boss as chair of new consumer healthcare business

GlaxoSmithKline has appointed former Tesco boss Sir Dave Lewis as chairman of its new consumer healthcare business with effect from 1 January 2022.

The consumer healthcare division is being demerged next summer and is expected to be listed on the London Stock Exchange.

Glaxo said on Monday that the business now has "an exceptional portfolio of world-class, category-leading brands, together with global scale and new innovation capabilities, offering a differentiated proposition that combines trusted science and human understanding".

Lewis is a highly experienced and respected global business leader in consumer goods and retail, the company said. From 2014 to 2020, he was group chief executive officer of Tesco and prior to that, he was global president of personal care at Unilever. He also has extensive experience as a board director, in both the UK and US, having served on the board of Sky, Tesco and currently PepsiCo.

Chair Sir Jonathan Symonds said: "I am delighted to welcome Dave as chair designate of the new consumer healthcare company. He brings outstanding global consumer and retail sector experience that will be of valuable support to Brian and the management team as they deliver the full potential of this new world-leading consumer healthcare company."