Ivan Menezes

Ivan Menezes
Born	Ivan Manuel Menezes 10 7, 1959
Birthplace	Poona, Bombay State, India
Died	Template:Death date and age London, England
Nationality	British, American
Occupation	Business executive
Title	CEO of Diageo
Known for	CEO of Diageo (2013–2023)
Education	Northwestern University (MBA)
Spouse(s)	Shibani Menezes
Children	2

Sir Ivan Manuel Menezes (10 July 1959 – 6 June 2023) was a British-American business executive who served as the chief executive officer of Diageo, the world's largest spirits maker and a FTSE 100 multinational alcoholic beverages company, from 2013 until his death in 2023. Born in Poona, India, Menezes rose through the ranks of the global drinks industry over a career spanning more than three decades, ultimately leading a company whose portfolio included iconic brands such as Johnnie Walker, Guinness, Smirnoff, and Tanqueray. During his decade at the helm of Diageo, Menezes oversaw a strategy of global diversification and premiumisation that reshaped the company's brand portfolio and expanded its presence in emerging markets. Menezes succeeded Paul S. Walsh as CEO and held the position until announcing his retirement in March 2023; he died shortly thereafter on 6 June 2023, following a brief illness, at the age of 63.

Early Life

Ivan Manuel Menezes was born on 10 July 1959 in Poona (now Pune), in what was then Bombay State, India. His father was Manuel Menezes. The Menezes family was of Goan origin, and Ivan grew up in India before pursuing higher education and a career that would take him across continents.

Menezes held both British and American citizenship, reflecting a life and career that spanned multiple countries. His Indian roots and international upbringing gave him a perspective that colleagues and commentators noted as central to his understanding of global consumer markets, particularly emerging economies in Asia and Africa where Diageo sought growth during his tenure.

Education

Menezes pursued graduate studies at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University in the United States, where he earned a Master of Business Administration degree. His MBA from Kellogg, one of the leading business schools in the world, positioned him for a career in international consumer goods and corporate management. Menezes also studied at other institutions before completing his MBA, though Kellogg became most prominently associated with his academic background in media coverage of his career.

Career

Early Career and Rise at Diageo

Menezes spent the majority of his professional career within Diageo and its predecessor organisations, building deep experience in the global spirits and beverages industry over more than three decades. Before ascending to the top position, he held a series of increasingly senior roles within the company, gaining expertise in brand management, marketing, and international operations.

His experience at Diageo encompassed work across multiple geographies, including significant involvement in the company's operations in North America and emerging markets. Menezes was known within the organisation for his deep understanding of consumer preferences and trends in the drinks industry, which informed the company's brand and market strategies.

Appointment as CEO

In 2013, Menezes was appointed chief executive officer of Diageo, succeeding Paul S. Walsh, who had led the company since 2000. His appointment was announced with the expectation that he would continue and deepen Diageo's push into emerging markets, including India, Africa, and Latin America, where rising middle classes presented opportunities for growth in premium spirits consumption.

At the time of his appointment, reports noted that Menezes's compensation package was substantial, reflecting the scale and global reach of the company he was tasked with leading. The selection of Menezes, who was of Indian origin, to lead one of Britain's largest consumer companies attracted attention in both the British and Indian press.

Leadership of Diageo

Under Menezes's leadership, Diageo pursued a strategy centred on global diversification and premiumisation—the deliberate movement of the company's portfolio toward higher-end, premium and super-premium products. This approach reflected Menezes's reading of consumer trends, particularly the growing appetite among drinkers in both established and emerging markets for premium spirits brands.

Diageo's portfolio under Menezes included some of the world's best-known drinks brands. Johnnie Walker, the blended Scotch whisky, remained a flagship product and continued to expand in markets across Asia, Africa, and the Americas. Other major brands in the Diageo stable included Guinness stout, Smirnoff vodka, Tanqueray gin, Captain Morgan rum, Baileys Irish Cream, and Don Julio tequila, among many others.

Menezes demonstrated a particular focus on understanding and responding to shifts in consumer taste. The New York Times noted in its obituary that he used "his canny understanding of the drinking public" to help the company grow. Under his stewardship, Diageo invested in the tequila and mezcal categories, recognising their rapid growth in the United States and beyond, and made strategic moves to strengthen its position in premium Scotch and other whisky categories.

The emerging markets strategy was a defining element of Menezes's tenure. Upon his appointment, the Daily Telegraph reported that he intended to focus on emerging markets as a key driver of growth. Diageo expanded its footprint in Africa, where it had significant operations through brands like Guinness and local spirits, and in India, where the company had acquired a controlling stake in United Spirits Limited, one of the country's largest spirits companies. These markets were seen as offering long-term growth potential as incomes rose and consumer preferences shifted toward branded products.

The Times characterised Menezes's decade-long leadership as one during which "the drinks company Diageo became globally diversified and moved upmarket," a summation that captured the twin pillars of his strategic approach.

Retirement Announcement and Succession

On 28 March 2023, Diageo announced that Menezes had decided to retire as chief executive officer. The company named Debra Crew as his successor, to be appointed as the new CEO upon his departure. The retirement announcement came after a decade of Menezes at the helm of the FTSE 100 company.

Debra Crew subsequently assumed the role of CEO following Menezes's death in June 2023. Crew herself later stepped down from the position in July 2025.

Personal Life

Menezes was married to Shibani Menezes, and the couple had two children. He held both British and American nationality and lived in London during his years leading Diageo.

Menezes was known among colleagues for combining business acumen with personal qualities of humility and kindness, as noted in tributes following his death.

He received a knighthood, earning the title "Sir," in recognition of his contributions to business and the economy.

Death

Ivan Menezes died on 6 June 2023 in London, following a brief illness, with his family at his side. He was 63 years old. His death came just over two months after the announcement of his planned retirement from Diageo.

Diageo announced his passing in a statement expressing deep sadness. The BBC reported on his death, noting his long service to the company. Reuters also carried the news of his passing.

The Drinks Business reported that Menezes had died "following a brief illness." Tributes poured in from across the business world and the drinks industry, with colleagues and industry figures praising his leadership and personal character.

Recognition

Menezes received a knighthood, as recorded in The London Gazette, earning the honorific "Sir" in recognition of his services to business. The knighthood reflected his prominence as the leader of one of the United Kingdom's largest and most internationally recognised companies.

Following his death, tributes from across the business and drinks industry emphasised his standing as a leader. The Telegraph (India) described him as "undoubtedly one of the finest leaders of his generation who combined business acumen with humility and kindness." The Financial Times published coverage reflecting on his career and impact on Diageo.

The Economic Times of India noted his passing and his significance as an India-born leader of a major global corporation, reflecting the attention his career attracted in his country of birth.

His alumni status at the Kellogg School of Management was highlighted by the school as an example of its graduates rising to the highest levels of global corporate leadership.

Legacy

Ivan Menezes's legacy is principally associated with the transformation of Diageo during his decade as chief executive. Under his leadership, the company pursued a consistent strategy of premiumisation, shifting its portfolio toward higher-value brands and products, and global diversification, expanding its presence in fast-growing markets in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

The premiumisation strategy that Menezes championed became a defining feature of the modern spirits industry more broadly, as competitors followed similar approaches in response to changing consumer preferences toward premium and craft products. His focus on understanding consumer trends and adapting the company's offerings accordingly was credited with strengthening Diageo's market position and financial performance during his tenure.

Menezes's leadership of Diageo also represented a significant milestone in the representation of individuals of Indian origin at the highest levels of British and global business. As the head of a FTSE 100 company, he was among the most prominent executives of Indian heritage in the United Kingdom, and his career was followed with particular interest in India.

The succession at Diageo following his death underscored the transition his leadership had set in motion. Debra Crew, whom Menezes had been set to hand the reins to upon his retirement, took over as CEO and continued in the role until stepping down in July 2025. The question of who would next lead the company Menezes had shaped prompted assessments in the press of his lasting impact on Diageo's direction and culture.

Moneycontrol published a tribute to Menezes, reflecting on his career and the mark he left on the global drinks industry. His death at 63, shortly after announcing his retirement, lent a sense of abruptness to the end of a career that had been marked by steady, long-term strategic thinking.