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(Alliance News) - Diageo PLC on Wednesday announced that Chief Executive Officer Ivan Menezes has died, following a brief illness.
Menezes was due to retire at the end of the month, with Chief Operating Officer Debra Crew set to take the helm from July. However, on Monday, the London-based brewer with brands such as Guinness and Baileys said it promoted Crew to the role of interim CEO, as Menezes underwent emergency surgery for medical conditions including a stomach ulcer.
Menenez joined Diageo at its creation in 1997, became executive director and board member in July 2012 and served as CEO from July 2013.
Diageo Chair Javier Ferran said: "Ivan 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."
By Tom Budszus, Alliance News reporter
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