Diageo has appointed Debra Crew as interim chief executive, with immediate effect, while its existing boss undergoes emergency surgery.
She was due to take over as boss of the firm from 1 July, when Sir Ivan Menezes will be retiring, after a decade in the top job.
However, he is currently in hospital receiving treatment for medical conditions, including a stomach ulcer.
“Over the weekend, we learned that Ivan’s recovery suffered a significant setback due to complications, which followed emergency surgery on the ulcer,” explained a statement from Diageo.
“Our thoughts are with our much-loved colleague, Ivan, and his family.”
Crew will be the group’s first female chief executive, stepping up from her current position as chief operating offer.
Menezes joined Diageo - which owns brands including Johnnie Walker, Smirnoff and Guinness - when it formed in 1997 and has spent more than 25 years in senior positions.
He was knighted for services to business and to equality in the King’s 2023 New Year Honours list.
Meanwhile, Crew has held senior positions at tobacco company Reynolds American and PepsiCo, and previously served as an officer in the US army.
She will takeover at the helm alongside chief executive Lavanya Chandrashekar.
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