Dive Brief:
- Diageo has promoted James Thompson, currently managing director for Diageo's global reserve business, to CMO of its North American segment.
- Thompson will replace Peter McDonough, who worked at Diageo for almost nine years.
- "James brings with him a unique breadth of experience, having held a range of marketing, general and commercial management roles during his two decades within Diageo," Syl Saller, Diageo's global CMO, said in a statement. "His strength in leadership, creative rigor and proven track record in building brands ranging from Guinness to Johnnie Walker Blue Label will be a huge asset to our North America business."
Dive Insight:
This marks another executive shakeup for Diageo, which made CFO Deirdre Mahlan president for Diageo North America last month.
Diageo is the leading spirits marketer in the U.S. with about 20% of the market share, and after a slow 2014, the company is poised for growth again this year, according Sanford C. Bernstein. Though Diageo's overall sales fell in the first three quarters of the year, they increased by nearly 1% in North America in the third quarter.
This growth will be the focus that the new leadership will be working toward going forward, as well as the product innovation Diageo said it will dedicate itself to over the next five years. Rumors have also suggested that Diageo could be part of a takeover bid by 3G Capital, though no official discussions have been announced.