“We applaud the board of directors of Walgreens for making this inspired and historic appointment,” says Crystal E. Ashby, interim president and CEO of The ELC. “Roz’s proven leadership at some of the world’s most innovative, impactful, and high-performing corporations has over prepared and more than qualifies her for the position.”

The ELC is a membership organization of the highest-ranking Black executives, including CEOs, C-suite executives, and board directors, of Fortune 1000 and Global 500 companies. The organization is committed to increasing the number of global Black executives in C-Suites, on corporate boards, and in global enterprises, and developing the pipeline of the next generation of Black executives to assume these roles through formal leadership development programs. Brewer’s appointment is a game changing action for Black leaders and corporations like Walgreens who value the excellence and benefits of Black leadership.

Brewer will become the first Black woman CEO of a Fortune 500 company since Ursula Burns, who stepped down as CEO of Xerox in 2016. Brewer’s appointment comes only one week after the historic inauguration of the first Black woman Vice President of the United States.

“Glass ceilings are shattering everywhere! We are proud of the sizable progress Black women continue to make in leadership roles. We are also painfully aware that there is still so much work to be done,” adds Ashby.

“During my career, I have witnessed the number of Black CEOs dwindle from more than ten in the early 2000s to merely four in 2020. Until now, only one was a Black woman. This is why The ELC exists and our work is as, or more, relevant and critical today than ever.”

Brewer will become the second Black woman CEO in the history of the Fortune 500.

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Crystal E. Ashby, Interim President and CEO, The Executive Leadership Council, First Woman CEO of The Executive Leadership Council

ABOUT THE EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP COUNCIL

The Executive Leadership Council, an independent non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation founded in 1986, is the preeminent membership organization committed to increasing the number of global Black executives in C-Suites, on corporate boards, and in global enterprises. Comprising 800 current and former Black CEOs, senior executives, and board directors at Fortune 1000 and Global 500 companies, and entrepreneurs at top-tier firms, its members work to build an inclusive business leadership pipeline that empowers global Black leaders to make impactful contributions to the marketplace and the global communities they serve.