Diageo announces that Sir Ivan Menezes has passed away

Diageo CEO Sir Ivan Menezes passed away following a brief illness, the British spirits and beer giant announced on June 7.

Ivan Manuel Menezes was born in 1959, in Pune, India. He held UK and US citizenship, and Overseas Citizenship for India. He joined Diageo at its creation in 1997 and held many senior positions in a career spanning more than 25 years at the company.

Prior to his career with Diageo, Sir Ivan worked across a variety of sales, marketing and strategy roles for Whirlpool in Europe, Booz Allen & Hamilton in North America, and Nestlé in Asia.

In January 2023, Ivan was awarded a Knighthood for services to Business and to Equality in His Majesty The King’s 2023 New Year Honours List.

Javier Ferrán, Chairman, Diageo plc, said: “Ivan was undoubtedly one of the finest leaders of his generation. He was there at the creation of Diageo and over 25 years, shaped Diageo to become one of the best performing, most trusted and respected consumer companies.

"I saw first-hand his steadfast commitment to our people and to creating a culture that enabled everyone to thrive. He invested his time and energy in people at every level of the company and saw potential that others may have overlooked. This is one of many reasons why he was beloved by our employees, past and present.

“Ivan’s energy and his commitment to diversity created a truly inclusive business and enabled Diageo to have a positive impact on the communities we serve. His passion for our brands was second-to-none and in his heart, he remained the Johnnie Walker marketer from his early days. The desire to build the world’s best brands never left him.

“We are truly privileged to have had the opportunity to work alongside such a thoughtful and passionate colleague and friend - a true gentleman. He has built an extraordinary legacy. 

“Ivan leaves behind many friends and a beloved family, and our thoughts are particularly with his wife, Shibani and his two children, Nikhil and Rohini. On behalf of the Board, Executive Committee and all our employees, we extend our deepest sympathies to them.”

Having served as Chief Executive Officer since 2013, Menezes was due to retire at the end of this month. Debra Crew took on the role as CEO on June 5, a month earlier than initially planned.