Diageo plc
LEI: 213800ZVIELEA55JMJ32
Diageo to appoint Sir John
Manzoni as Chair
·
Javier Ferrán to retire in February 2025 in his
ninth year on the Diageo Board
19
March 2024, London, UK: Diageo today
announces that current non-executive director Sir John Manzoni will
be appointed Chair of the Board on or around 5 February 2025 when
current Chair Javier Ferrán retires from the Board.
Sir John Manzoni joined the Diageo
Board in October 2020, having been Chief Executive of the UK Civil
Service from 2014 to 2020. He is currently Chair of FTSE-listed
multinational energy business SSE plc and a non-executive director
of engineering and technology business KBR, Inc. He was previously
a non-executive director of the multinational drinks company SAB
Miller plc for 11 years from 2004 to 2015. Earlier in his
career John served as President and Chief Executive Officer of
Talisman Energy, and held a number of senior executive roles at BP
plc.
Javier Ferrán joined the Diageo
Board in July 2016 and was appointed Chair on 1 January
2017.
Susan Kilsby, Diageo's senior
independent director who led the appointment process,
said:
"On behalf of the entire Board, I
want to express our gratitude to Javier. He has led our Board with
great distinction, helping us to attain new levels of commercial
success and to strengthen our position as one of the most trusted
and respected consumer products companies in the world. We are
proud of the progress Diageo has made under his stewardship,
achieving average annual total shareholder returns of 8% over the
last decade, and driving diversity throughout our organisation,
with over 70% of the Board and 44% of our senior leadership now
comprised of women.
"The Board is delighted to appoint
John as Diageo's next Chair, following an extensive search process.
John has an outstanding track record of leadership within beverage
alcohol and across a number of other complex and fast-changing
sectors in the UK and globally. His experience and expertise will
be instrumental as Diageo continues to develop and grow its global
business in the years ahead."
Javier Ferrán said:
"It has been a true privilege to
lead Diageo's Board during a period in which we have achieved
significant growth, reshaped our portfolio and geographic
footprint, and navigated widespread global volatility. I look
forward to working with John, the Board and all my Diageo
colleagues to ensure a smooth transition over the coming
months."
Sir John Manzoni said:
"It will be a privilege to take on
this role and to succeed Javier, whose leadership and acumen have
been so valuable to our business and to Board
colleagues.
"Since joining the Board, I have
been continually impressed by the growth potential of the
organisation, the quality of our brands, and the dedication and
high standards of Diageo colleagues around the world. Diageo has an
unrivalled portfolio, a global footprint and world-leading
capabilities, and I look forward to supporting the executive team
to ensure that we deliver on our potential."
Debra Crew, Chief Executive,
said:
"Javier has been an invaluable
source of strategic counsel and advice for me and our wider
leadership team, and I want to thank him personally for the role he
has played in stewarding the business so successfully.
"With a strong focus on execution,
we will continue to invest behind our iconic brands to create value
for shareholders and maintain our position as an industry leader in
total beverage alcohol, an attractive sector with a long runway for
growth. I look forward to working with John as Chair and the rest
of the Board to achieve those ambitions."
Sir John Manzoni will also succeed
Javier Ferrán as Chair of the Nomination Committee in February
2025.
ENDS
Notes to editors
Sir John A. Manzoni, KCB is a former
British senior civil servant (2014 to 2020) and business executive.
He was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) in
2020, for public service. Sir John served as Chief Executive of the
Major Projects Authority from February 2014 to October 2014. In
October 2014, he became the first ever Chief Executive of the UK
Civil Service, and in August 2015, he added the post of Permanent
Secretary for the Cabinet Office.
From 2007 to 2012, Sir John served
as President and Chief Executive Officer of Talisman Energy Inc., a
global oil and gas exploration and production company based in
Canada. Prior to that role, Sir John spent almost 25 years at
BP plc, one of the world's leading integrated oil and gas
companies. From 2001 to 2002, Sir John served as BP's Chief
Executive of Gas and Power, and from 2002 to 2007, he served as
Chief Executive of Refining and Marketing. He also served as an
executive director on BP's Main Board from 2003 to 2007.
Sir John serves as Chair of the
Board of SSE plc. He also serves as Chair of the Board of the
Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE plc), a UK Ministry of Defence
facility. He is a non-executive director of KBR, Inc. in the US.
Sir John is an advisor for Mace Group Ltd and is a mentor for
Chairman Mentors International (CMi). Sir John previously
served as a non-executive on the board of SABMiller plc from 2004 -
2015, and as an Advisory Board member for the Stanford University
Graduate School of Business.
Sir John holds a Bachelor of Science
degree in Civil Engineering and a Master of Science degree in
Petroleum Engineering from Imperial College London. He also holds a
Master of Science degree in Management from Stanford University's
Graduate School of Business and was a Sloan Fellow. Sir John has
received an Honorary Doctorate from Aberdeen University.
Contacts
Investor relations:
Durga Doraisamy
Andy Ryan
|
+44 (0) 7902 126 906
+44 (0) 7803 854 842 investor.relations@diageo.com
|
Media relations: Brendan
O'Grady
Rebecca Perry
Clare Cavana
|
+44 (0) 7812 183 750
+44 (0) 7590 809 101
+44 (0) 7751 742 072
press@diageo.com
|
About Diageo
Diageo is a global leader in
beverage alcohol with an outstanding collection of brands including
Johnnie Walker, Crown Royal, JεB and Buchanan's whiskies, Smirnoff,
Cîroc and Ketel One vodkas, Captain Morgan, Baileys, Don Julio,
Tanqueray and Guinness.
Diageo is a global company, and our
products are sold in nearly 180 countries around the world. The
company is listed on both the London Stock Exchange (DGE) and the
New York Stock Exchange (DEO). For more information about Diageo,
our people, our brands, and performance, visit us at
www.diageo.com. Visit Diageo's global responsible drinking
resource, www.DRINKiQ.com for information, initiatives, and ways to
share best practice.
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