Diageo announced that Sir Dave Lewis has been appointed Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director, effective January 1, 2026. The appointment follows an extensive global search led by the company’s Board of Directors and represents a significant leadership transition for the international consumer goods company.
Lewis brings decades of experience leading international consumer brands and large-scale corporate transformations. He previously served as Group CEO of Tesco plc from 2014 to 2020, overseeing a significant turnaround of the business. Before that, he spent nearly thirty years at Unilever in senior leadership roles focused on brand and business performance. Since 2022, he has served as Chair of Haleon, a global consumer healthcare company, and is currently a non-executive board director at PepsiCo. He will step down from the Haleon role at the end of December 2025.
Diageo Chair Sir John Manzoni led the succession process and emphasized the Board’s confidence in Lewis’s leadership and experience. The company stated that Lewis’s background in marketing, brand growth, and operational discipline aligns with Diageo’s priorities as it enters its next phase of strategic execution.
Interim CEO Nik Jhangiani will continue in his role until the end of December 2025 before returning to his position as Chief Financial Officer. Deirdre Mahlan, who returned as Interim CFO, will support the leadership transition.
Lewis holds several roles in charitable and environmental sectors, including Trustee of The Royal Foundation and Chair of the World Wildlife Fund in the United Kingdom. He was knighted in 2021 for his contributions to business and the food industry.
KEY QUOTES:
“We are delighted to welcome Dave as Diageo’s new CEO. Having conducted an extensive and thorough global search, the Board unanimously felt that Dave has both the extensive CEO experience, and the proven leadership skills in building and marketing world-leading brands, that is right for Diageo at this time.”
“We are confident that Dave will work with the team to take Diageo into its next successful chapter in the evolving consumer environment. The Board wishes to recognise and thank Nik Jhangiani for his excellent leadership as Interim CEO and for continuing to drive forward Diageo’s sharpened strategy.”
John Manzoni, Chair
“Diageo is a world leading business with a portfolio of very strong brands, and I am delighted to be joining the team. The market faces some headwinds but there are also significant opportunities. I look forward to working with the team to face these challenges and realise some of the opportunities in a way which creates shareholder value.”
Dave Lewis, Chief Executive Officer
