Diageo CEO Ivan Menezes passes away

(Sharecast News) - Drinks company Diageo said on Wednesday that chief executive Ivan Menezes has passed away at the age of 63 following a brief illness. Chairman Javier Ferran said: "This is an incredibly sad day. Ivan was undoubtedly one of the finest leaders of his generation.

"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."