About

If Walgreen exercises its option to acquire the remaining 55% of Boots in 2015, it is expected to generate some $130bn in revenue, and its legal department will grow from 180 to over 200. But although Reed is fairly new to Walgreens (having only joined Walgreen in February 2013), she certainly is no stranger to the challenge of helping a company through a major transition. The story of her seven years at Solo Cup Company is a fascinating tale that begins with the company’s acquisition of a larger competitor and the need to hire a General Counsel at that time. Shortly after she took on that role, Reed had to smooth over some major teething problems, and managed to avoid litigation which, had it gone ahead, could have ‘potentially destroyed the company,’ she says. Other tribulations during her time there included handling billions of dollars of debt financings, taking on the dual role of EVP of Human Resources, and helping the company weather the decline of the economy alongside the rapid rise of oil prices. Last year, Solo sold itself to Dart Container Company, and Matthew Kipp of Skadden Arps believes ‘Solo’s success largely is a result of Reed’s expert management’. Reflecting on it now, she says: ‘all of my years there were filled with challenges, yet I think that it was the best experience’. It should certainly stand her in good stead during Walgreen’s continuing expansion, and she is already working out ways to make the legal department more efficient going forward. Her plans include utilizing in-house resources more, and developing a preferred provider network so that outside counsel can work together.