Alitam appoints former MD of Canaccord and HSBC Global Banking

Antony Isaacs, the former MD of HSBC Global Banking and Markets, and leading investment bank Canaccord, joins the Alitam Group to drive forward its transformative multi-billion-pound ‘Pharmacy of the Future’ plan.

Isaacs’ appointment by Alitam founder Feisal Nahaboo, who also founded the Xeinadin Group, is the second ‘star signing’ within a week, following the announcement that former Credit Suisse MD, Zac Brech, has been appointed Alitam’s CFO.

Antony Isaacs, one of the city’s foremost movers and shakers, has today been appointed Consultant to the Alitam board, with a view to joining as an Alitam non-executive board member in the coming weeks.

Alitam founder and CEO Feisal Nahaboo headhunted Isaacs and describes this appointment as “yet another coup” for the rapidily growing Alitam Group.

Alitam is the ground-breaking 100-plus pharmacy store consolidation, with a vision to deliver the ‘Pharmacy of the Future’: offering a wide range of clinical and wellbeing services instore, using the skills of hitherto under-utilised pharmacists.

The aim of the multi-billion-pound plan is to significantly reduce the burden on GP surgeries and hospitals, through providing highly regulated ‘walk-in’ appointments for everything from vaccinations and physiotherapy to eyecare and even midwifery.

Last week, the government announced NHS waiting lists have spiralled to a record 6million since the pandemic began.

Nahaboo’s latest appointment is designed to speed up the process of securing the investment that Alitam requires to continue its build of a preventative health system to improve the nation’s health.

Isaacs has an impressive track record at a number of high-profile banking institutions over the last 20 years. His positions have ranged from Head of UK ECM of Credit Suisse to various managing director positions including at leading investment bank Canaccord Genuity.

He joins Alitam hot on the heels of another ‘star signing’: former city banker and MD of Credit Suisse, Zac Brech, who was appointed CFO this week.

Both men previously worked together at Credit Suisse and are said to “have a great rapport” and will “bring a very special blend of experience, knowledge and skills to their roles”.

Confidence has never been higher within Alitam as its founder and CEO, entrepreneur Feisal Nahaboo, continues to engage leading figureheads to help prepare the Alitam Group for a ‘substantial undisclosed investment’.

The group was created through a revolutionary, corporate record-breaking new M&A model invented by Nahaboo and known as the ‘Overnight Multiple Merger model’ (OMMM).

Only last week, Nahaboo’s first merger created using OMMM—the 120-strong accountancy firm consolidation, Xeinadin Group—secured a huge, record-breaking investment.

Alitam already boasts a board of exceptional talent and skillsets, including Chairman Sir Ken Olisa, a leading businessman and philanthropist who is Lord Lieutenant of London.

The group’s newest appointment, Antony Isaacs, has enjoyed an illustrious career to date. His intimate knowledge of equity capital markets (ECM) is described as “second to none”, having established ECM divisions for a number of high-profile banks.

He was the former Head of UK ECM at Credit Suisse, MD of HSBC Global Banking and Markets, and latterly MD of leading investment bank Canaccord.

Three decades of experience in the city has furnished Isaacs with the knowledge and expertise to guide Alitam in seeking high-level investment; and in achieving the goal of acquiring over 100 additional pharmacy stores in the next two years.

He will also be instrumental in planning the roll-out of ‘Super Pharmacies’ at key locations in the UK and Ireland. These ‘Medical and Wellbeing Centres’ will operate as one-stop-shops for health and wellbeing, providing not just highly regulated medical care but further treatments such as aesthetics, hearing aids, counselling services and nutritionists.

With Isaac’s steer, they are expected to be fixtures on many high streets in the next 10 years.

Says Alitam Founder and CEO Feisal Nahaboo, “Antony brings invaluable qualities to the board at this exciting time in the company’s development.

“The Covid pandemic has brought into sharp relief just how overstretched secondary healthcare services are. Waiting times are going through the roof, and the skills of our hard-working and caring Alitam pharmacists are needed more than ever.

“Antony’s wisdom and experience will be crucial assets as we plan, and put into action, our ambitious programme for organic growth, and growth through acquisition.

“I love working with Antony as he is straight-talking and independent minded. I trust him completely and know he will always have Alitam’s best interests at heart.

“He’s a firm advocate of revolution in the world of healthcare, and is committed to the NextGen tech, cross-fertilisation of knowledge and skills and bold vison which is necessary to bring this about.

“We are now in an excellent position—better than I ever could have imagined—to bring the Pharmacy of the Future to the deserving people of the UK and Ireland.”

Speaking about the Alitam proposition, Isaacs added: “Alitam has all the ingredients of a ground-breaking, and highly successful, company. Through the unique vehicle of the Overnight Multiple Merger model, it’s possible to merge these profitable, and entrepreneurial, pharmacies and deliver the healthcare our nations deserve.

“ Feisal’s vision for Alitam is as daring as his OMMM concept and, as we have seen with Xeinadin, will exceed all expectations. I’m delighted to be involved with a movement which will help improve the health and wellbeing of the people of the UK and Ireland.”