Diageo - An apology

By: Olly Wehring - 15 April 2008 18:22

I know it was cheeky, and I’m really sorry, but I just couldn’t help it.

As the ‘any questions’ segment of Paul Walsh’s presentation to the World Whiskies Conference today (15 April) drew to a close, I simply had to ask him:

“How does it feel to no longer be the biggest premium spirits company in the world?”

Quick as you like, he replied: “There are statistics, and there are statistics.

“For those of you who like to study annual reports, look at market capitalisation, look at total sales, look at margins, and then make your decision.”

Told!

Comments on this blog post

Olly, I say bravo. Pay no mind to the previous commentor. As we all know, it's your job to ask questions like that. If he has made it to that level, he is more than capable enough to provide a great answer, which Walsh did. He's in the big leagues, and as such he gets big league questions. Glad-handling CEO's with kid glove questions (let me know if my American metaphors are confusing) doesn't do shareholders, suppliers, distributors, or consumers any good at all. It's the duty of the trade press to point things out to the emperors of our great industry, and they expect it, nay, they demand it, to tell their story unimpeded by their PR machines, which everybody knows is biased. I say, well done, colleague. -HCS

Harry Schuhmacher, United States

Funny that. I thought it was rather appropriate.

Mark, United Kingdom

Olly, Your question was base and struck me as foolish.

Bob Anderson, United States