Diageo strengthens board with new appointment
Johnnie Walker owner Diageo has appointed the chair of Informa, John Rishton, to its board of directors.
Rishton has been appointed by Diageo as a non-executive director, effective from 1 November 2025.
Rishton is the chair of Informa and Serco Group, the latter of which he will retire from on 31 December 2025.
Diageo noted Rishton’s 40 years of business experience, which have included executive roles at Rolls Royce, where he served as a chief executive from 2011-2015; Dutch multinational supermarket Royal Ahold, where he was president; and British Airways, where he held the position of chief financial officer (CFO) from 2001 to 2005.
His extensive experience also covers non-executive roles at Unilever, Associated British Ports, Allied Domecq, Majid Al Futtaim, and ICA Gruppen.
Diageo chair Sir John Manzoni said: “I am delighted with John’s appointment to the Diageo board. John is a highly regarded business leader with extensive experience in a wide variety of industries, including in consumer and retail businesses, and a track record of creating sustainable, long-term value for stakeholders.
“I look forward to working with him in positioning Diageo for sustainable growth, maximising the opportunities to strengthen the business and deliver stronger shareholder returns on a sustained basis.”
Additionally, Rishton will also join the Diageo board’s audit and nomination committees.
Over the summer, Diageo saw a change in leadership with CEO Debra Crew stepping down, making way for Nik Jhangiani, who is currently serving in the interim.
Deirdre Mahlan then returned to the company in July to take over the CFO role from Jhangiani, also on an interim basis.
Jhangiani has recently spoken out about Diageo’s cost-cutting measures, which will see the company aim to save approximately US$625m over the next three years.
Recently, Diageo has offloaded two ready-to-drink brands in Australia, and has sold coffee and cream liqueur Sheridan’s to Portuguese spirits company Casa Redondo.
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