CEO Today - Africa Awards 2021

pharmacy market and UPD a 30.6% share of the private pharmaceutical wholesale market. Our Values • We are truly passionate about our customers • We believe in integrity, honesty and openness • We cultivate understanding through respect and dialogue • We are disciplined in our approach • We deliver on our goals Group Brands Clicks, Musica, The Body Shop, GNC and Claire’s are market-leading brands and have a combined footprint of over 840 stores, including 50 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 600 in-store pharmacies. The Body Shop sells natural, ethicallyproduced beauty products and has been About Vikesh Vikesh was appointed chief executive officer in January 2019. Prior to this he was chief operating officer of the Clicks brand from 2015, and was managing director of UPD, the group’s pharmaceutical wholesaler, from 2010, where he was instrumental in driving UPD’s integrated pharmaceutical wholesale and distribution strategy. He has served in store, logistics and management positions across the group since joining in 1993. Company Profile Clicks Group is a retail-led healthcare group which is listed in the Food and Drug Retailers sector on the JSE. Clicks was conceived as a drugstore in 1968 but legislation at the time prevented corporate ownership of pharmacies in South Africa. This meant that Clicks operated as a drugstore without drugs until legislation was changed in 2003 to allow corporate pharmacy ownership, and the first Clicks pharmacy opened in 2004. United Pharmaceutical Distributors (UPD) was acquired by the group in January 2003 to provide the distribution capability for the group’s healthcare strategy. Over the past decade the group has grown into a leader in the healthcare market where Clicks has a 23.4% share of the retail 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. Clicks Group’s strategy is to create sustainable long-term shareholder value through a retail-led health, beauty and wellness offering. Group Strategic Objectives • Grow the retail footprint by expanding the store base and online presence. • Accelerate pharmacy market share gains in South Africa. • Promote UPD’s national pharmaceutical wholesale and distribution services to grow market share. • Deliver operational excellence with an efficient centralised supply chain. • Create an inclusive and transformed organisation with a strong talent pipeline to support business growth. CEO Today Af r i ca Award s 2021 - South Af r i ca - Vikesh Ramsunder Chief Executive Officer of Clicks Group “ Our vision is to be the leading health and beauty retailer in targeted markets within southern Africa. www.clicksgroup.co.za - 75 -

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