Boots Ireland veteran Joe Scallan eyes next chapter as he calls time on Director of Stores run

Joe Scallan has announced his departure from Boots Ireland where he spent the past 20 years, most recently serving as Director of Stores.

In a LinkedIn post, in which he did not reveal his next move but hinted at an exciting new chapter, he said: "After nearly 20 years, this week is my last one in Boots Ireland. From my very first days to now, I’ve had the privilege of being part of a business that I’ve helped grow into every corner of the island. And through all that growth, what stayed the same was what that little blue ‘Boots’ lozenge stands for. Care for the sick. Comfort for the community. And the chance to help people look and feel their best."

He added: “David Bowie once sang that we can be heroes just for one day… In my time in Boots, I’ve seen colleagues be heroes every single day. People who keep showing up for others, even on the hard days. The ones who still greet you with warmth when their own day hasn’t gone to plan. The ones who help you choose a perfume for someone you love or quietly guide you when someone close to you isn’t well."

"To my store teams, thank you. The work you do matters more than you probably realise. To my own team, past and present, thank you. I’ve been lucky to work alongside some brilliant people. I’m hugely proud of what we’ve done together beyond the day job too, especially the incredible support for the Irish Cancer Society over the years. The amount raised, the lives touched, that’s something that will always stay with me."

Scallan concluded: "Boots has been a massive part of my life and career. I’ve learned a lot, met friends for life and shared moments I’ll never forget. Hard to sum it all up really. Just very grateful. On to the next exciting chapter now."

2026 RTIH Innovation Awards

Physical stores will be a key focus area at the 2026 RTIH Innovation Awards.

The awards are now open for entries and celebrate global retail technology innovation in a fast moving omnichannel world.

Our winners will be revealed at the 2026 RTIH Innovation Awards Ceremony, taking place at The HAC in Central London on Thursday, 15th October.

Check out our 2025 winners here.

Our 2025 hall of fame entrants were revealed during a sold out event which took place at The HAC on 16th October and consisted of a drinks reception, three course meal, and awards ceremony presided over by award winning comedian, actress and writer Tiff Stevenson.

In his welcome speech, Scott Thompson, Founder and Editor, RTIH, said: “This is the awards’ fifth year as a physical event. We started off with just 30 people at the South Place Hotel not far from here, then moved to London Bridge Hotel, then The Barbican, and last year RIBA’s HQ in the West End.”

“But I’m conscious of the fact that, to quote the legend that is Taylor Swift, You’re only as hot as your last hit, baby. So, this year we’ve moved to our biggest venue yet, and also pulled in our largest number of entries to date and broken attendance records.”

He added: “This year’s submissions have without doubt been our best yet. To quote one of the judges: The examples of innovative developments across both traditional and digital retail spaces were truly remarkable.”

Congratulations to our winners, and a big thank you to our sponsors, judging panel, the legend that is Tiff Stevenson, and all those who attended our 2025 gathering.