Diageo & Industry Leaders Mourn The Loss Of CEO Ivan Menezes

Ivan Manuel Menezes, Diageo's Indian-born CEO, passed away on Wednesday, with his family at his side. Although he had been admitted to the hospital for several health concerns, including stomach ulcers, the cause of his death is still unknown.

According to a statement made by the corporation, Menezes' recovery took a turn for the worse due to problems. According to reports, the surgeons performed emergency surgery on the ulcer.

Javier Ferrán, Chairman, Diageo plc, commented on the loss, “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. Ivan’s energy and his commitment to diversity created a truly inclusive business and enabled Diageo to have a positive impact on the communities we serve. His passion for our brands was second-to-none and in his heart, he remained the Johnnie Walker marketer from his early days. The desire to build the world’s best brands never left him."

"We are truly privileged to have had the opportunity to work alongside such a thoughtful and passionate colleague and friend - a true gentleman. He has built an extraordinary legacy. Ivan leaves behind many friends and a beloved family, and our thoughts are particularly with his wife, Shibani and his two children, Nikhil and Rohini. On behalf of the Board, Executive Committee and all our employees, we extend our deepest sympathies to them”, adds Ferran.

Menezes was set to retire from the organisation later this month. He joined Diageo in 1997, following the company's merger with Guinness and Grand Metropolitan. Menezes was instrumental in driving the company's expansion and handled numerous acquisitions throughout the years. 

Many expressed grief on LinkedIn on the loss.

Edwina Pika, former Strategy Execution Director and M&A Integration Director posted, “This is a sad day, for Sir Ivan's family, his friends, and his Diageo and Industry colleagues. Less than a month away from the long-deserved retirement, after decades of service and humble leadership. His plans of spending time with his family and friends, in the comfort and knowledge that he had led Diageo to such great outcomes, were cruelly taken away. As part of the M&A team, I got to see Sir Ivan in action, taking (measured) risks, being calm in the face of high emotions, and being skilled in knowing which fight to take on, or not. He knew that he held the future of the brands, the people, and the shareholders of Diageo in his hands. That the aim is to leave them in a better place than when you started. His loss will be felt deeply. He touched so many. His legacy will live on, in all those he spent time with. My heart goes out to those who are closest to him. This feels so unfair.”

Many from the Diageo family mourned on social media of the untimely death of Menezes.

Pippa Guy, UK Ambassador – Tanqueray Gin, Diageo stated in the post, “Devastated by the loss of our CEO just weeks before his retirement. Sending love and thinking of his family at this incredibly sad time.”

Andri Stephanou, Global Head – Employer Brand, Diageo stated, “My thoughts and prayers are with Ivan's family. This is heart breaking and incredibly sad. Ivan was a true inspiration and incredible leader, the warmest of people, always smiling. May he rest in eternal peace”

Vurity Nishant, Global Commercial Data Governance, Diageo, posted on LinkedIn stating, “It’s hard to put feelings into words at a time like this. But the palpable sense of loss, we at Diageo, feel is a testimony to the impact Sir Ivan made on us! #ThankYouSirIvan”

Menezes was an alumnus of St Stephen’s College, Delhi and IIM Ahmedabad.