SAN FRANCISCO — Paul Julian, executive vice president and group president at McKesson Corp., is slated to retire at the end of the year.

Julian currently has senior operating responsibility for McKesson’s domestic and international Distribution Solutions businesses, including pharmaceutical distribution, medical-surgical distribution, specialty health and retail pharmacy systems and automation.

Paul Julian

As president of McKesson Pharmaceutical, the company’s largest operating business, McKesson re-gained its position as the largest North American pharmaceutical distributor, rising from the third largest to become the largest wholesaler over a three-year period.

“I’d like to acknowledge the tremendous contributions by Paul over the past two decades,” said John Hammergren, McKesson’s chairman and chief executive officer during the company’s second quarter fiscal 2018 earnings call. “Paul’s business acumen and strategic leadership have helped us expand our market reach as well as the breadth of services and solutions we offer to our customers. His dedication and tireless commitment to our people, our customers and the industry set him apart,” he pointed out.

“Starting in McKesson Health Systems, the company’s distribution business for hospitals, he led many of the businesses that now comprise our Distribution Solutions segment. Paul has had a four decade career in health care. He has received numerous awards and throughout his career. He has demonstrated exceptional character, accomplishment and leadership in the industry and in the community. His perspective and insights are critical to the growth and success of McKesson, including building a deep bench of talented leaders to carry McKesson into the future. On Paul’s retirement, the presidents of these businesses within Distribution Solutions will report to me. I will miss working with Paul and wish him the very best in this new chapter of his life.”