Press release: McCandlish joins Communications International Group

Leading publisher and pharmacy training company Communications International Group (CIG) has recruited former Boots commercial director, Simon McCandlish, to its top-level strategy team.

McCandlish, who had a successful 26-year career at Boots, will be CIG’s first Director of Strategy, Innovation and Partnerships. His brief will be to work alongside the existing leadership team to help grow CIG’s business. As part of the Group’s core strategy team, he will also be working closely with Director of Policy and External Affairs, Rob Darracott FRPharmS, to help deliver an exciting pipeline of growth opportunities.

McCandlish joined Boots as a graduate in 1990. He has extensive Health and Beauty experience having held several senior roles in the Health and Beauty categories in which Boots participates, culminating in a successful four-year spell as Commercial Director for Healthcare. McCandlish also had a two-year stint at the beauty giant L’oréal as well as becoming Commercial Director for Boots’ Norwegian business.

After leaving Boots in 2016, he became UK Managing Director for Puressentiel, a market leading French aromatherapy brand.

Announcing McCandlish’s appointment, CIG chief executive Felim O’Brien said: “At this pivotal point for UK pharmacy, we are building a team of the brightest and best in the industry to support the sector. I am therefore extremely delighted that Simon has agreed to join us and bring his extensive experience, knowledge and passion for the sector into the CIG stable.”

A firm believer in the importance of putting customer and patient focus at the heart of healthcare business strategy, McCandlish is excited to be joining Communications International Group.

“The principles that Jesse Boot had in bringing everyday remedies to the high street back in 1849 are just as relevant today as they ever were and, if anything, more so. People deserve to receive the best possible care and pharmacists are ideally positioned to deliver this if we support them to do so,” he said.

“CIG was the first supplier to give the pharmacy team the continuing professional development training they needed in a way that matched their time-pressured circumstances through innovations such as 30-Minute Tutor.

“I am very much looking forward to helping CIG create the next generation of training innovations that will ensure pharmacies can fulfil the primary care role that they have wanted for so long and which is now within reach through Pharmacy First.”

McCandlish was also a non-executive director of Derby and Derbyshire CCG and is currently co-chair of the Complex Care Governance and Assurance committee for Derby and Derbyshire ICB.

For further information please contact: Alison Miles, CIG press officer
E: alison.miles@1530.com T: ++ 44 20 7434 1530

26 February 2024