AS Watson has created a new position to build its global health credibility.

The Hong Kong-headquartered health and beauty retailer has appointed Steve Gray to the new role of international healthcare director with effect from January next year.

Gray is currently healthcare director of AS Watson Health & Beauty (UK) chain Superdrug. COO Malina Ngai says the appointment reflects “the growing importance of health to AS Watson’s future strategy”.

“In the past decade when we have aggressively expanded our network from just over 7000 to 11,500 stores today, we have put a lot of focus in building our beauty authority. We are pleased to have established defined strengths in the beauty category across majority of our businesses.

“As a leading international health and beauty retailer, we see increasing opportunities in health and wellbeing hence decided to step up our focus on health in the total offering to our customers.”

In his new role, Gray will work closely with Ngai to further build the company’s health strategy and strengthen implementation in its operations, with the objective of accelerating the increase of healthcare sales and margin participation across the group.

Gray joined Superdrug in 2012 and during the past two years has grown its health business by over 20 per cent, built an online health offer via Online Doctor and led the development of Superdrug’s Wellbeing concept store.

Before joining AS Watson, Gray was COO at Lloyds Pharmacy’s parent company Celesio.