Boots Group chief executive Ornella Barra has stepped down from her executive role to become chair, in a senior leadership reshuffle that could open the door to the UK retailer being separated from its parent company.

Barra replaces her husband and long-time business partner Stefano Pessina as chair. Her chief executive role will not be replaced.

As part of the changes, Boots managing director Anthony Hemmerdinger will take on broader responsibilities across the group, including oversight of the No7 Beauty Company and group-level functions such as IT and legal.

The reshuffle follows Walgreens Alliance Boots being taken private last year by US private equity firm Sycamore, alongside Pessina.

Sycamore has since split the wider business into five parts, separating Boots from Walgreens’ US retail operations.

A person familiar with the situation told the Financial Times the move could make it easier for Boots to be separated from its parent and potentially return to the London stock market in the coming years, after previous attempts to sell the chain were unsuccessful.

Boots is one of the most recognisable names on the UK high street and was part of the original FTSE 100, before leaving the index in 2007 when it was taken private.

In a statement, Barra said: “For some time now, I have been considering transitioning to a less operational role.

“I concluded that this is the perfect moment and the right choice for me to best serve the company moving forward.”

She will continue to chair the group’s environmental, social and governance committee and remain a shareholder. The changes will take effect next month.

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