Diageo appoints former Tesco CEO Dave Lewis as Chief Executive Officer
Dave Lewis will be responsible for steering the turnaround of the Johnnie Walker and Guinness maker, which recently downgraded its sales and profit outlook for fiscal 2026.
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Diageo has appointed Dave Lewis, former CEO of Tesco, as its Chief Executive Officer, effective 2026. He will be responsible for steering the turnaround of the Johnnie Walker and Guinness maker, which recently downgraded its sales and profit outlook for fiscal 2026, as per reports.
Lewis succeeds Debra Crew who had stepped down as CEO and as a board director in July 2025 by 'mutual agreement'. Nik Jhangiani had taken over the role of interim CEO and will continue until the end of December 2025. Then, he will resume the position of a chief financial officer.
Lewis brings over three decades of experience across the consumer goods and retail sectors. He currently serves as Chair of Haleon, the consumer health company, and sits on the Board of PepsiCo. He is also Chairman of Xlinks, a privately owned renewable energy business.
Prior to these roles, Lewis spent the majority of his career at Unilever, starting as a graduate trainee and rising to join the Global Executive Team, first as President, Americas, and later as Global President, Personal Care. After 28 years with the company, he moved to Tesco, leading the retailer from 2014 to 2020.
During his tenure, Tesco underwent significant operational and strategic transformation, including the divestment of businesses in Korea and Thailand, and the landmark £3.7 billion merger with Booker, the UK’s largest wholesaler, creating a retail and wholesale powerhouse.
