Diageo has announced that its North American president, Deirdre Mahlan, will retire on June 30, 2020.
Mahlan began working for Diageo as part of its North American finance team in 2001. She went on to become the company's chief financial officer in 2010 and was subsequently appointed president of Diageo North America in 2015.
Mahlan's successor will be Debra Crew, who will become the president of Diageo North America on July 1. Crew has served as a non-executive director on the Diageo board since April 2019 and is stepping down from her non-executive director position and from the audit, nomination and remuneration committees of the board with immediate effect.
"Proud And Privileged"
Mahlan stated, "I am proud and privileged to have enjoyed a long and exciting career in Diageo and its predecessor companies. I have particularly enjoyed my last five years leading the North America business, seeing it grow and prosper, working with my colleagues, in partnership with our key distributors who support and drive our business in this market. It has been an honour to work alongside Ivan and all my colleagues in Diageo over these past 19 years."
"A Great Legacy"
Meanwhile, Diageo chief executive Ivan Menezes commented, "Diageo North America is a strong business that has been very ably led by Deirdre since 2015. While we are sad to be losing Deirdre, I know that she leaves a great legacy in the North America business and across Diageo. I am very grateful for her exceptional contribution over many years at Diageo and wish her the very best for her retirement.
"I am delighted that Debra has agreed to join us in an executive position to lead the next stage of growth in North America. Debra's extensive experience in consumer businesses will serve Diageo and North America well as we continue to progress on our ambition to become one of the most trusted and respected consumer products companies in the world."
"Excited"
Crew added, "I am excited to join the Diageo executive team. I have thoroughly enjoyed my year as a non-executive director of Diageo. This is a unique opportunity to work for a purpose led company with iconic consumer brands, unparalleled global reach and exciting growth prospects. I am looking forward to leading the Diageo North America team to help drive the achievement of our ambition."
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