AS Watson Group has named Fred Chan and Vivian Nie as co-MDs of its Watsons China business.

The pair have been credited as instrumental in the Watson business’s transformation into its Offline plus Online (O+O) model.

The current CEO of Watsons China, Kulvinder Birring, will take over as CEO of CK Hutchison Holdings subsidiary Marionnaud Group.

Chan joined Watsons in 2011 as South China operations director when the Mainland China business had about 1000 stores and the network has since grown to 3800.

Nie joined the company in 2018 as marketing director and was appointed GM, of customer growth in 2021.

AS Watson Group MD and CK Hutchison executive director Dominic Lai paid tribute to outgoing boss Birring: “Under his leadership, he has successfully repositioned the Watsons brand as the top retailer in our category nationwide with a portfolio of over 3800 O+O stores. He has led the organisation through a remarkable cultural transformation, fostering a scientific, collaborative, agile, and growth-oriented mindset.”

The appointments will take effect next month.