Chief executive Ivan Menezes announced the first details of his planned shake-up of drinks giant Diageo today, after taking over last July.
Menezes has simplified how bosses report into top management at the Smirnoff vodka and Guinness owner, with its supply chain and buying to now report directly into chief financial officer Deirdre Mahlan.
David Gosnell, president for global supply and procurement, will retire and international supply centre director David Cutter will take on that role and join the executive committee.
Former Asia Pacific president Gilbert Ghostine will lead corporate and business development in China and India and also work with Menezes on its joint venture with Moët Hennessy and will join him on the Moët Hennessy/Diageo joint committee. Diageo has long wanted to purchase the drinks business of Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy (LVMH) and this change bolsters the relationship.
Other Asia-Pacific regions will now come under Nick Blazquez who will become president of Diageo Africa, Eurasia and Pacific.
The changes come ahead of plans to slash regional back office management and focus investment in sales teams.
It is thought announcements of redundancies will come within weeks as part of Menezes’ strategy to slash £200 million of costs a year to make the £47 billion group more “agile” and better equipped to deal more efficiently across its 21 markets.
