Ornella Barra
Encyclopedia
Ornella Barra is an Italian businesswoman. A Board Member of Alliance Boots
and a qualified pharmacist, she has been involved in the healthcare industry for her entire career and is currently Chief Executive of the Pharmaceutical Wholesale Division of Alliance Healthcare. Barra is responsible for the strategy and management of Alliance Healthcare Division, which includes overseeing businesses in a total of 16 countries as well as the Division’s key functions.
near Genoa
, northwest Italy, into a family of entrepreneurs. Having graduated as a pharmacist from the University of Genoa
in 1979, she worked at the start of her career as a manager of a pharmacy which she then acquired. After building up a successful regional pharmaceutical distribution company, Di Pharma, she later sold the business to Alleanza Farmaceutica, founded and managed by Italian entrepreneur Stefano Pessina, which later grew to become Italy’s leading pharmaceutical wholesaler. He and Barra became partners in both the personal and business senses, sharing a house in Monaco.
. Alliance Boots
, was a private company up until July 2007 when it was bought by AB Acquisitions Limited (Stefano Pessina and Kohlberg Kravis Roberts). Alliance Boots was created as a result of a merger between the Boots Group PLC and Alliance UniChem Plc in July 2006. Alliance Boots
is present in more than 20* countries with over 115,000* employees and operates more than 3,250* health and beauty retail outlets in nine countries of which just under 3,150* have a pharmacy. * Figures stated are as at 31 March 2010, are approximate and include associates and joint ventures
The Pharmaceutical Wholesale Division is present in sixteen countries and supplies over 150,000* pharmacies, doctors, health centres and hospitals from over 360* warehouses. Moreover it supports a large network of independent pharmacies and operates a number of owned pharmacies. Barra is also responsible for the strategic development of the Group’s retail businesses and products brands which are marketed outside the UK and Republic of Ireland (under the Boots
brand), including Continental Europe, North America, Asia and the Middle East.* Figures stated are as at 31 March 2010, are approximate and include associates and joint ventures
In 1984, Barra founded a pharmaceutical distribution company in Italy and was made Managing Director two years later, the same year the company was acquired by Alleanza Salute Italia (now Alliance Healthcare Italia). During this time, Barra also contributed to the creation of Alliance Santé, the Franco-Italian group with interests spanning Europe, and was made Board member in 1990. Following Alliance Santé's merger with UniChem in 1997, she then went on to become a Board member and Executive Director of Alliance Unichem.
Barra has recently become a special professor of the University of Nottingham
's School of Pharmacy where she delivers lectures on the four-year MPharm degree. Barra will also act in an advisory capacity to assist the school in the further development of the course and has joined the External Advisory Board for the school's activity at the University's Malaysia Campus, where it runs the first two years of an MPharm degree fully accredited by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain
. She is also very active in the European Pharmacists Forum, an organisation that supports European Pharmacists, discussing new ideas and encouraging positive dialogue.
to become ambassadors for corporate social responsibility.’
’s School of Pharmacy. Professor Barra lectures on internationalisation of pharmacy business and issues of corporate social responsibility. The lectures are designed for students studying the school’s four-year MPharm degree.
Barra is also committed to progressing the school’s development and is a member of the External Advisory Board for the Malaysia Campus. Here students can undertake the first two years of an Mpharm degree fully accredited by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain.
Alliance Boots
Alliance Boots GmbH is a leading international, pharmacy-led health and beauty group. It has two core business activities - pharmacy-led health and beauty retailing, and pharmaceutical wholesaling and distribution - and has a presence in more than 25 countries...
and a qualified pharmacist, she has been involved in the healthcare industry for her entire career and is currently Chief Executive of the Pharmaceutical Wholesale Division of Alliance Healthcare. Barra is responsible for the strategy and management of Alliance Healthcare Division, which includes overseeing businesses in a total of 16 countries as well as the Division’s key functions.
Biography
Ornella Barra was born in December 1953near Genoa
Genoa
Genoa |Ligurian]] Zena ; Latin and, archaically, English Genua) is a city and an important seaport in northern Italy, the capital of the Province of Genoa and of the region of Liguria....
, northwest Italy, into a family of entrepreneurs. Having graduated as a pharmacist from the University of Genoa
University of Genoa
The University of Genoa is one of the largest universities in Italy.Located in Liguria on the Italian Riviera, the university was founded in 1471. It currently has about 40,000 students, 1,800 teaching and research staff and about 1,580 administrative staff.- Campus :The University of Genoa is...
in 1979, she worked at the start of her career as a manager of a pharmacy which she then acquired. After building up a successful regional pharmaceutical distribution company, Di Pharma, she later sold the business to Alleanza Farmaceutica, founded and managed by Italian entrepreneur Stefano Pessina, which later grew to become Italy’s leading pharmaceutical wholesaler. He and Barra became partners in both the personal and business senses, sharing a house in Monaco.
Career
Barra is Chief Executive of Alliance Healthcare, the Pharmaceutical Wholesale Division of Alliance BootsAlliance Boots
Alliance Boots GmbH is a leading international, pharmacy-led health and beauty group. It has two core business activities - pharmacy-led health and beauty retailing, and pharmaceutical wholesaling and distribution - and has a presence in more than 25 countries...
. Alliance Boots
Alliance Boots
Alliance Boots GmbH is a leading international, pharmacy-led health and beauty group. It has two core business activities - pharmacy-led health and beauty retailing, and pharmaceutical wholesaling and distribution - and has a presence in more than 25 countries...
, was a private company up until July 2007 when it was bought by AB Acquisitions Limited (Stefano Pessina and Kohlberg Kravis Roberts). Alliance Boots was created as a result of a merger between the Boots Group PLC and Alliance UniChem Plc in July 2006. Alliance Boots
Alliance Boots
Alliance Boots GmbH is a leading international, pharmacy-led health and beauty group. It has two core business activities - pharmacy-led health and beauty retailing, and pharmaceutical wholesaling and distribution - and has a presence in more than 25 countries...
is present in more than 20* countries with over 115,000* employees and operates more than 3,250* health and beauty retail outlets in nine countries of which just under 3,150* have a pharmacy. * Figures stated are as at 31 March 2010, are approximate and include associates and joint ventures
The Pharmaceutical Wholesale Division is present in sixteen countries and supplies over 150,000* pharmacies, doctors, health centres and hospitals from over 360* warehouses. Moreover it supports a large network of independent pharmacies and operates a number of owned pharmacies. Barra is also responsible for the strategic development of the Group’s retail businesses and products brands which are marketed outside the UK and Republic of Ireland (under the Boots
Boots UK
Boots UK Limited , is a leading pharmacy chain in the United Kingdom, with outlets in most high streets throughout the country...
brand), including Continental Europe, North America, Asia and the Middle East.* Figures stated are as at 31 March 2010, are approximate and include associates and joint ventures
In 1984, Barra founded a pharmaceutical distribution company in Italy and was made Managing Director two years later, the same year the company was acquired by Alleanza Salute Italia (now Alliance Healthcare Italia). During this time, Barra also contributed to the creation of Alliance Santé, the Franco-Italian group with interests spanning Europe, and was made Board member in 1990. Following Alliance Santé's merger with UniChem in 1997, she then went on to become a Board member and Executive Director of Alliance Unichem.
Barra has recently become a special professor of the University of Nottingham
University of Nottingham
The University of Nottingham is a public research university based in Nottingham, United Kingdom, with further campuses in Ningbo, China and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia...
's School of Pharmacy where she delivers lectures on the four-year MPharm degree. Barra will also act in an advisory capacity to assist the school in the further development of the course and has joined the External Advisory Board for the school's activity at the University's Malaysia Campus, where it runs the first two years of an MPharm degree fully accredited by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain
Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain
The Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain was formerly the statutory regulatory and professional body for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians in England, Scotland and Wales...
. She is also very active in the European Pharmacists Forum, an organisation that supports European Pharmacists, discussing new ideas and encouraging positive dialogue.
Corporate Social Responsibility
Barra is the Chairman of the Social Responsibilities Committee at Alliance Boots and states that ‘We encourage our employeesto become ambassadors for corporate social responsibility.’
Timeline
University of Nottingham
Barra is a Special Professor at the University of NottinghamUniversity of Nottingham
The University of Nottingham is a public research university based in Nottingham, United Kingdom, with further campuses in Ningbo, China and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia...
’s School of Pharmacy. Professor Barra lectures on internationalisation of pharmacy business and issues of corporate social responsibility. The lectures are designed for students studying the school’s four-year MPharm degree.
Barra is also committed to progressing the school’s development and is a member of the External Advisory Board for the Malaysia Campus. Here students can undertake the first two years of an Mpharm degree fully accredited by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain.
European Pharmacists Forum(EPF)
Barra founded, and is an Executive Director of the European Pharmacists Forum whose main aims are to support a European and transversal approach to the profession. The EPF brings together the 150,000 pharmacist customers of Alliance Boots to facilitate the discussion of new ideas, the sharing of best practice and the exchange of positive dialogue between public authorities and manufactures. The EPF members represent 8 countries: the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, the Czech Republic, The Netherlands and Switzerland.IFPW
The role of the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Wholesalers(IFPW) is to help its members and stakeholders advance the safe, efficient and continuous access to pharmaceuticals on a global scale. This is achieved through the promotion of good distribution practices and services.ADF
Barra was President of the l'Associazione Distributori Farmaceutici(ADF) or association of pharmaceutical distributors from 2006-2009. The ADF aims to highlight, on behalf of its members, the social role of pharmaceutical wholesalers; Ensuring delivery of a full-range of medicines to pharmacies and patients in a controlled environment guaranteeing the quality of the transport.ECR Europe
Barra became an Executive Member of ECR Europe (Efficient Consumer Response) in 2007. ECR Europe's vision is to work together to fulfil consumer wishes better, faster and at a lower cost, with a shared business process leading to mutual benefits across the value chain.External links
- Alliance Boots - Chief Executive, Pharmaceutical harmacutical Wholesale Division
- Alliance Healthcare - Chief Executive
- EPF-European Pharmacists Forum - Founder
- ADF (Italian Association of Pharmaceutical Wholesalers ) – Past President
- IFPW (International Federation of Pharmaceutical Wholesalers) - Board Director
- ECR Europe (Efficient Consumer Response) - Executive Member
- Biography from her personal website
- Video interview at Chemist and Druggist by Gary Paragpuri. (Requires recent version of Flash)
- Fortune Magazine Top 50 Global Leaders