The pharmacy chain’s new chief information officer will need to navigate internal shake-ups and build a high-functioning technology team

  • Walgreens Boots Alliance is on its third chief information officer in a little over a year
  • Internal shake-up within the IT department poses a challenge to the company’s strategy
  • Company’s planned cost cuts and reduction in capital spending could affect the IT department
  • Walgreens needs a high-functioning technology team to pivot further into healthcare and streamline its supply chain
  • Legacy systems and technical debt are additional challenges for the IT department
  • Neal Sample, the new chief information officer, brings two decades of leadership experience
  • Sample will need to establish his own direction on a unit that has seen a succession of tech leaders
  • Sample’s predecessor focused on building engineering and AI capabilities, leading to disruption within the department
  • Tensions rose when contractors were asked to pause work, resulting in loss of knowledge and setbacks
  • Sample’s ability to reshape the IT organization will be crucial for Walgreens’s turnaround

Walgreens Boots Alliance is facing challenges within its IT department as it looks to leverage technology to boost sales and transform its retail stores. The company has seen significant changes in leadership, with its third chief information officer in a little over a year. An internal shake-up, including contractor cuts and low morale among employees, poses a challenge to the department’s role in the company’s strategy. Additionally, the IT department could be affected by the company’s planned cost cuts and reduction in capital spending. Walgreens needs a high-functioning technology team to pivot further into healthcare and streamline its supply chain. However, the department is contending with legacy systems and technical debt. Neal Sample, the new chief information officer, brings two decades of leadership experience to the role. He will need to establish his own direction on a unit that has seen a succession of tech leaders. Sample’s predecessor focused on building engineering and AI capabilities, which led to disruption within the department. Tensions rose when contractors were asked to pause work, resulting in setbacks. Sample’s ability to reshape the IT organization will be crucial for Walgreens’s turnaround.

Public Companies: Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA), Express Scripts (ESRX), Northwestern Mutual (null), American Express (AXP)
Private Companies:
Key People: Neal Sample (Chief Information Officer), Tim Wentworth (Chief Executive), Rosalind Brewer (Former CEO), Ginger Graham (Lead Independent Director), Hsiao Wang (Former Chief Information Officer), Mohanbir Sawhney (Associate Dean of Digital Innovation and Professor of Marketing), Ekta Anand (Former Senior Product Manager), Eugene Shapiro (Consultant), Robert Hetu (Vice President, Analyst for Retail)

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Factuality Level: 7
Justification: The article provides information about the turnover of chief information officers at Walgreens Boots Alliance and the challenges faced by the IT department. It includes interviews with current and former staff and mentions the company’s revenue and stock performance. The article also discusses the company’s planned cost cuts and reduction in capital spending. While the article provides some relevant information, it lacks specific details and data to support its claims. It also includes some opinions and speculation from unnamed sources. Overall, the article is moderately factual but could benefit from more thorough research and evidence.

Noise Level: 6
Justification: The article provides some relevant information about the turnover in Walgreens’ IT department and the challenges it faces. It mentions the company’s revenue and stock performance, as well as the new CEO’s plans for digital transformation. However, there is some repetition of information and the article does not provide a deep analysis of the long-term trends or antifragility of the company. It also lacks scientific rigor and intellectual honesty, as it relies mostly on interviews with current and former staff without providing data or evidence to support their claims. Overall, the article contains some relevant information but lacks depth and rigor.

Financial Relevance: Yes
Financial Markets Impacted: The article does not provide specific information about financial markets or companies impacted.

Presence of Extreme Event: No
Nature of Extreme Event: No
Impact Rating of the Extreme Event: No
Justification: The article discusses the challenges faced by Walgreens Boots Alliance in its IT department and the impact it may have on the company’s strategy and financial performance. However, there is no mention of any extreme events or their impact.

Reported publicly: www.wsj.com