CEO Today Africa Awards

SOUTH AFRICA www.ceotodaymagazine.com 50 CEO Today Africa Awards 2017 DAVID KNEALE Chief Executive Officer of Clicks Group Limited David was appointed chief executive officer of Clicks Group in January 2006. He was previously chief commercial officer of health and beauty retailer, Boots Group plc, in the United Kingdom. During his career at Boots David held positions in finance, buying and marketing before being appointed director of merchandise and marketing in 1995, and managing director of international retail development in 1997. After three years as managing director of Waterstone’s Booksellers and a director of HMV Group, he returned to Boots in 2002 as director of trading, and was appointed chief commercial officer in January 2003. Clicks Group is a retail-led healthcare group which has been listed on the JSE Limited since 1996. Through market- leading retail brands Clicks, GNC, The Body Shop, Claire’s and Musica, the group has over 778 stores across southern Africa. Clicks Group is a leader in the healthcare market where Clicks has the largest retail pharmacy chain with over 459 in-store pharmacies, while UPD is South Africa’s leading full-range national pharmaceutical wholesaler. Cnr. Searle and Pontac Streets, PO Box 5142, Cape Town 8000, South Africa Tel: +27 21 460 1911 ABOUT DAVID KNEALE CONTACT www.clicksgroup.co.za FIRM PROFILE GROUP BRANDS Clicks, Musica, The Body Shop, GNC and Claire’s are market-leading brands and have a combined footprint of over 778 stores, including 37 in the neighbouring countries of Namibia, Botswana, Swaziland and Lesotho. • Clicks is South Africa’s leading health and beauty retailer, offering value for money in convenient and appealing locations. Clicks has the largest retail pharmacy chain with over 459 in-store pharmacies. • The Body Shop sells natural, ethically-produced beauty products and has been operated under a franchise agreement with The Body Shop International since 2001. • GNC is the largest global specialty health and wellness retailer, and has been operated under an exclusive franchise agreement for southern Africa since 2014. • Claire’s is one of the world’s leading specialty retailers of fashionable jewellery and accessories for young women and girls, and has been operated under an exclusive franchise agreement for southern Africa since 2015. • Musica is the country’s leading entertainment retail brand and was acquired in 1992. • UPD is South Africa’s leading full-range pharmaceutical wholesaler and the only one with a national presence. CUSTOMERS Clicks targets consumers in the growing middle to upper income markets (LSM 6 – 10). The Clicks ClubCard is one of the largest loyalty programmes in South Africa with over 6.5 million active members. 76% of ClubCard customers are women and 61% are in the 25 to 49 age group. UPD fulfils the pharmaceutical supply needs of Clicks, major private hospital groups and over 1 200 independent pharmacies. UPD also provides bulk distribution services to pharmaceutical manufacturers.