DEERFIELD, Ill. — As chief procurement officer at Walgreens Boots Alliance, Melissa Salo oversees commercial relationships with the retail pharmacy chain’s suppliers and partners.

“I am responsible for leading the procurement team for goods and services not for resale,” she says. “Our team partners with business to procure technology, property, supply chain and logistics, marketing, media and professional services across Walgreens Boots Alliance.”

Salo says there are two parts of the job that she finds most rewarding:

“First, helping to ignite the culture of the procurement team. We want all of our team members to be their true selves at work, and we spend a lot of time making sure that we understand each other, which makes us stronger as a team,” she says.

“Second, making sure the team understands the impact they have on the business. We are contributing significantly to our company’s transformational cost management program, which enables WBA to invest back into the business for future growth.

“Additionally, we are mitigating supply and service risks and leading innovation discussions with third-party partners. Making an impact on the success of the business is important.”

Melissa Salo

Salo joined Walgreens in 2019 as vice president of cross divisional procurement after more than four years at McCain Foods, where she led a digital transformation team overseeing deployment of a new technology and advanced analytics, and managed a team focused on material planning and supply for 15 manufacturing facilities.

After earning a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Ohio State University in 2001, Salo went to work for consumer packaged goods giant Procter & Gamble Co., where she spent nearly 14 years in various procurement and contract manufacturing roles.

“I have been fortunate throughout my career to work for leaders who are not only intellectually brilliant but are leaders who lead with passion and purpose,” Salo says. “Under these leaders, I have been challenged and stretched the most. These are the times that have shaped my journey to becoming the chief procurement officer for WBA.

“Five years out of university, I was given an opportunity for a promotion as an expatriate in Geneva, Switzerland, with less than 24 hours to accept the role. Living and working abroad taught me about resiliency and flexibility. The opportunity was a career highlight for sure.”

A recent highlight came last year when Salo’s team was named “Procurement Team of the Year” by the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CPIS), the world’s largest professional organization serving members in procurement and supply.

In bestowing the honor, CPIS noted that the WBA procurement team had “totally transformed itself over the last few years, delivering and exceeding on all objectives. The team has navigated through immense change programs, always remaining at the focal point of the organization with outstanding executive alignment. True partnerships have been delivered with the supply base on a global scale achieving the balance of a centralized multinational organization whilst never losing [the] entrepreneurial spirit, commercial curiosity and continuous-improvement mindset. This is procurement the WBA way.”