TORONTO — The Canadian Association of Chain Drug Stores (CACDS) is searching for a new leader.

The trade group earlier this month announced that it has named Ian McKinnon interim chief executive officer, taking over for president and CEO Nadine Saby, who has resigned.

CACDS said that McKinnon will serve as interim CEO for six months and will provide a “leadership bridge” while the association seeks a permanent chief executive.

A CACDS spokeswoman said Saby left the association around mid-April and is taking a “work hiatus.” She added that Saby will remain involved in the health care arena and expects to do consulting down the road, as well as continue her volunteer work. Saby served as CACDS president and CEO since joining the association in July 2006.

CACDS stated that McKinnon, on behalf of the CACDS board and member organizations, “will lead in planning and executing a number of the association’s critical initiatives.” The association said he also will participate in meetings with provincial and federal governments, pharmacy organizations, industry partners, and stakeholders.

With 30 years of domestic and international business experience, McKinnon has held senior positions at Digital Equipment Corp., which was acquired by Compaq in 1998, and was the CEO for a number of Toronto-based software firms, according to CACDS.

And for the past five years McKinnon has provided consulting advice to companies on such key functional initiatives as board governance, business planning and the development of high-performance leadership teams, the association said.

Toronto-based CACDS represents the community pharmacy sector in Canada, and its retail members operate more than 6,000 traditional chain drug stores and include supermarket and discount chains with pharmacies.