U.S. pharmacy and beauty retailer Walgreens announced on Monday the appointment of Jason Stenta to the role of SVP and chief commercial officer, effective immediately.

​In this new role, Stenta will lead the company’s commercial growth strategy, driving development and commercialization of B2B healthcare services built on the company’s core assets, and enhancing partnerships with payers, health system providers and life sciences companies.

With some 20 years of healthcare experience, leading large organizations and cross-functional teams through growth and change, Stenta joins Walgreens from Optum, a UnitedHealth Group company, where he served as SVP, payer sales. Prior to Optum, he held leadership roles at CVS Health for 10 years.

“Jason is a strategic, relationship-driven healthcare leader, and I’m proud to welcome him to the team,” said Mary Langowski, EVP and president, U.S. Healthcare, at Walgreens Boots Alliance.

“His experience with complex healthcare organizations, along with his strong understanding of market dynamics, regulatory requirements, and customer needs, will be invaluable as we strengthen our relationships and solutions in healthcare.

Earlier this year, ​Walgreens Boots Alliance said it plans to close about 650 to 700 underperforming stores in the U.S., having cut its profit forecast for fiscal 2024 as weak consumer spending hurt retail operations.