WAG appoints former pharma exec corporate VP, market access

DEERFIELD Ill. — Walgreens has appointed Mark Lelinski as the company’s corporate VP, market access.

Lelinski will be responsible for contracting and pricing strategies; the integration efforts across Walgreens pharmacy, health and wellness division; overseeing sales and account management; and managing the continued evolution of the company’s managed market strategies.

“Mark is a seasoned leader with an established track record of delivering results, and will help to build upon the excellent work that is being done in our market access group,” stated Kermit Crawford, Walgreens president of pharmacy, health and wellness. “His experience in managed market roles both in the U.S. and internationally is the right fit for where Walgreens is headed. As a strategic partner of choice in the healthcare industry, we believe Mark’s relationship-driven approach will help us strengthen our partnerships and create more value from the emerging models and markets that will be key to our growth moving forward.”

Lelinski previously spent nine years with AstraZeneca in a number of marketing, strategy and managed market roles, both in the U.S. and abroad. In his most recent role as VP, Americas region marketing and sales, Lelinski was responsible for implementing new commercial capabilities across markets in the U.S., Canada and Latin America. He also led efforts to build new capabilities in Latin America to improve both market access and patient affordability for the emerging middle class. As VP, U.S. managed markets, Lelinski led all aspects of payer strategy, B2B marketing, account management, contracting and pricing with all payer customers.

Prior to joining AstraZeneca, Lelinski was a partner at Accenture, where he headed the pharmaceutical marketing and sales effectiveness practice. He also worked in a number of executive roles supporting physician networks, health plans and health informatics companies.