Finance executive Brigid Hughes (pictured) has been appointed Chief Finance Officer (CFO) of National Pharmacies, commencing in the role on 25 August 2025.
Bringing more than 20 years of leadership experience to the role, Ms Hughes has worked across multinational, ASX-listed and privately owned
consumer-facing companies, including fast-moving consumer goods and retail.
Most recently, she served as Head of Financial Planning and Analysis at Viva Energy Australia, which owns OTR Group and Reddy Express.
Before that, Ms Hughes held the same role at Nando’s UK in London for 5 years.
Born and raised in Adelaide, South Australia, Ms Hughes has spent two decades working in the UK, including as CFO of a private equity-backed national restaurant group UK with an annual turnover of $62.6 million and 500 employees.
National Pharmacies CEO Mark Smith says Ms Hughes’ appointment follows a comprehensive recruitment process.
“Ms Hughes joins the National Pharmacies team at a pivotal time, as the industry embraces new opportunities influenced by the expanding scope of pharmacy practice and the evolving landscape of online retail and healthcare.
“Having led high-performing finance teams in Australian and the UK, Ms Hughes will be a significant asset to National Pharmacies in our next phase of growth as one of Australia’s largest community pharmacy groups,” he says.
Ms Hughes says she’s eager to bring her experience with national retail and hospitality groups into the community health sector.
“It’s a privilege to join a respected, South Australian-founded organisation with such deep roots in the community,” she says.
“I look forward to contributing to its ongoing growth and evolution as we
continue to shape the future of community health together.”
