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Diageo appoints North America president
Deirdre Mahlan, Diageo’s chief financial officer, has been announced as the company’s new president for North America.
Deirdre Mahlan has been announced as the new president of Diageo North America (Photo: Diageo)
Mahlan’s move comes after the world’s largest drinks company revealed that Larry Schwartz would be stepping down from his role at the head of Diageo’s North American arm by the end of this year.
Mahlan will continue as CFO until her replacement is announced “in due course”, a company spokesperson said.
Her appointment is one of several changes taking place in Diageo’s US and Canadian management that have been sparked by Schwartz stepping down after 40 years in the industry.
The company also announced that Tom Looney, currently president Diageo-Guinness USA, has been promoted to the role of president US open and control states, a move that combines the “open” and “control” states leadership into one role.
Looney’s appointment follows the announcement that Mark Hubler, president open states and national accounts, will leave Diageo to Johnson Brothers Liquor Company at the end of July.
Looney will be replaced at Diageo-Guinness USA by Tom Day, the subsidiary’s senior vice president of sales, and the North American national accounts role will be taken by Jeff Ivey, who will also continue as chief commercial officer for North America.
All of these appointments, excluding Mahlan, are effective immediately.
“Diageo North America is a strong business and we are determined to deliver on that strength,” Ivan Menezes, Diageo CEO, commented.
On the most senior change announced, Menezes said, “Deirdre has been an exceptional CFO and has the skills, together with experience of the market, to lead the next stage of growth in North America”.
Separately, Diageo announced that Claudia Schubert, president control states is moving out of North America to take on the role of general manager, continental europe effective 1 September. She will be based in Amsterdam and will report to the President of Diageo Europe.