The daughter of a lawyer, Helena Buonanno was born the eldest of five children. She grew up in Rhode Island and attended Lincoln School in Providence. She earned her Bachelor of Arts from Harvard College, graduating magna cum laude; there she met her husband,[1] marrying him in 1989 in a Roman Catholic ceremony.[2]Larry Summers was her senior thesis adviser. She later earned her Master of Business Administration from Harvard Business School.[1]
Career
After graduating from Harvard, Foulkes briefly worked at Goldman Sachs and Tiffany & Co before leaving to earn her MBA. She began working at CVS in 1992.[1] She rose to become the company's executive vice president and chief marketing officer. She oversaw the launch of the ExtraCare card, a membership program offering savings to participants.[3] Foulkes also created the Pharmacy Advisor program, its purpose being to offer advice to customers with chronic conditions, either in stores or over the phone.[1]
In 2011, CVS made Foulkes its chief health care strategy and marketing officer, a new position created for her.[3] In July 2015, Fortune magazine reported that as part of her role, Foulkes oversaw 9,600 retail stores and 18 distribution centers.[4] She helped spur the decision to stop selling cigarettes and tobacco products, citing the need for CVS to better position itself as a healthcare company.[1][5] She oversaw the company's philanthropic endeavors, and developed digital strategies to help consumers learn how to fulfill their pharmaceutical needs.[3]
In 2015, Fortune magazine included her on its list of Most Powerful Women, citing Foulkes' role in the "$1.9 billion purchase of Target's prescription-filling business—a deal that will give CVS the most pharmacy locations in the U.S.—and launching upgraded beauty and healthy food sections in many of the stores".[6]
On February 5, 2018, Hudson's Bay Co., owner of Saks Fifth Avenue, named Foulkes its new CEO, saying it would be effective on February 19.[7][8][9] In her first six weeks as CEO, Foulkes was challenged with refashioning the company's business strategies given the industry's declining sales at the time.[10]
In March 2020, Foulkes announced that she was leaving Hudson's Bay Co. following a deal reached with shareholders to go private.[11][12]
On October 13, 2021 Foulkes announced her candidacy for Governor of Rhode Island. WPRI reports that "she would seek to spur job growth, reduce regulations, deal with the effects of climate change, and improve public education."[14]
^Goodman, Jasper G (April 27, 2021). "Helena Foulkes to Serve as Harvard Board of Overseers President". Harvard Crimson. Retrieved April 27, 2021. Helena Buonanno Foulkes '86, a former corporate executive who has held top positions at CVS Health and served as CEO of the Hudson's Bay Company, will serve as the president of Harvard's Board of Overseers for the next year, the University announced Monday.
