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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Top Boots job for ex-HBOS chief | Top Boots job for ex-HBOS chief |
| (1 day later) | |
| The UK High Street's biggest chemist chain, Alliance Boots, has confirmed former HBOS boss Andy Hornby as its new chief executive. | The UK High Street's biggest chemist chain, Alliance Boots, has confirmed former HBOS boss Andy Hornby as its new chief executive. |
| Mr Hornby, in charge of HBOS at the time of the bank's near-collapse last autumn, will start work with the firm from July. | Mr Hornby, in charge of HBOS at the time of the bank's near-collapse last autumn, will start work with the firm from July. |
| Before moving to HBOS he spent time in senior posts at supermarket giant Asda. | Before moving to HBOS he spent time in senior posts at supermarket giant Asda. |
| Boots and Alliance Unichem merged in 2006 to form Alliance Boots, later taken over by private equity firm KKR. | Boots and Alliance Unichem merged in 2006 to form Alliance Boots, later taken over by private equity firm KKR. |
| Alliance Boots is Europe's largest wholesale and retail player in the pharmaceutical industry and employs 115,000 people. | Alliance Boots is Europe's largest wholesale and retail player in the pharmaceutical industry and employs 115,000 people. |
| It is currently run by the Italian billionaire Stefano Pessina, who holds the post of executive chairman. | It is currently run by the Italian billionaire Stefano Pessina, who holds the post of executive chairman. |
| Mr Hornby is a non-executive director of Home Retail Group, which owns Argos and Homebase. | Mr Hornby is a non-executive director of Home Retail Group, which owns Argos and Homebase. |
| He led led HBOS up to the end of 2008 when the company posted banking losses of £11bn - before being swallowed up by rivals Lloyds TSB. | He led led HBOS up to the end of 2008 when the company posted banking losses of £11bn - before being swallowed up by rivals Lloyds TSB. |
| Mr Hornby had been the youngest-ever boss of a main British bank when he became HBOS chief executive three years ago. | Mr Hornby had been the youngest-ever boss of a main British bank when he became HBOS chief executive three years ago. |
| Earlier this year told MPs he was "sorry" for the near-demise of HBOS. | Earlier this year told MPs he was "sorry" for the near-demise of HBOS. |
| Readers of the BBC News website expressed scepticism in e-mails about the appointment. | Readers of the BBC News website expressed scepticism in e-mails about the appointment. |
| "Boots just lost my custom. What are they thinking?!" said Jo Ventham, from Hungerford. | "Boots just lost my custom. What are they thinking?!" said Jo Ventham, from Hungerford. |
| And Alan Chester, in Kathmandu, Nepal said: "Failure rewarded yet again." | And Alan Chester, in Kathmandu, Nepal said: "Failure rewarded yet again." |
| "Let us hope for their sakes and all ours that they have no plans to branch out into finance," said Simon G, in London. | "Let us hope for their sakes and all ours that they have no plans to branch out into finance," said Simon G, in London. |