just the Facts – Diageo’s Next CEO, Ivan Menezes

Last week, Ivan Menezes was confirmed as Paul Walsh’s successor as Diageo CEO. The 53 year-old, currently the group’s chief operating officer, will replace Walsh in the top job on 1 July. Here just-drinks takes a look at India-born Menezes’ career to date:

• Before taking up the newly-created role of group COO in March last year, Menezes was president & CEO of Diageo North America for eight years. In this time, he was also given the additional roles of Asia-Pacific chairman and Diageo’s chairman for Latin American & the Carribean. He is widely credited for spearheading Diageo’s bid to take control of India’s United Spirits.
• Menezes joined Diageo in 1997, holding a variety of senior management postions with Guinness. In 2002, he was given the newly-created role of COO for North America. Two years later, he took the job of Diageo’s North America president. That same year, he was appointed president of the group’s Venture Markets.
• Before joining Diageo, the father-of-two held various marketing positons with the Whirpool Corporation in Europe and also worked for Booz Allen Hamilton in Chicago and London.
• His first job was with Nestle in India, who he joined in 1981. He went on to work across sales, marketing and strategy in Asia for the company.
• Menezes has an MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, a post-graduate degree from the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad and a BA in Economics from St. Stephen’s College, Delhi University.

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