Sir Ivan Menezes, chief executive officer of Diageo, has died at the age of 63 after a short illness.
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Menezes planned to retire from the company on 31 June 2023 after 10 years leading the company as CEO.
In a statement, Diageo announced Menezes had died with his family at his side.
Javier Ferrán, chairman of Diageo, said it was an “incredibly sad day” and called Menezes “one of the finest leaders of his generation”.
“Ivan was there at the creation of Diageo and over 25 years, shaped Diageo to become one of the best performing, most trusted and respected consumer companies,” Ferrán said.
Diageo said Menezes was one of Britain’s longest-serving FTSE chief executives. He joined the company when it was formed in 1997 after a merger and held a number of roles over his 25-year career at Diageo.
During his time at the company, he served as global marketing director for UDV in 1998 and helped develop Johnnie Walker’s iconic Keep Walking campaign.
This was followed by senior positions including president of the firm’s North America arm, and chairman roles for Diageo’s Asia Pacific, and Latin America and Caribbean regions.
Menezes navigated Diageo through the Covid-19 pandemic, delivering a net sales value that was 36% higher than in 2019, the company noted.
Menezes also championed diversity at the company. More than 40% of Diageo’s senior leadership positions are held globally by women, while 37% are ethnically diverse.
Diageo credited Menezes for the firm’s growth during his tenure, with the firm currently selling more than 200 brands in 180-plus markets, and holding the position of the number one company by net sales value in Scotch whisky, vodka, gin, rum, Canadian whisky, liqueurs, and Tequila, according to IWSR Drinks Market Analysis data. ■
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