Diageo finalises hiring Joanne Wilson from WPP as CFO

Diageo was finalizing the appointment of Joanne Wilson as its new chief financial officer on September 22, 2026, according to a report by Sky News. An official announcement could come as soon as the morning of September 23.

Wilson will step down as finance chief of marketing services group WPP, where she spent three and a half years. The move reunites her with Diageo Chief Executive Dave Lewis. Both worked together at Tesco, where Wilson spent more than a decade, including a role as finance chief of dunnhumby, Tesco's data analytics arm.

At Diageo, Wilson will replace Nik Jhangiani, who was once seen as a candidate for the permanent chief executive role. Jhangiani is expected to leave the company as Lewis reshapes the executive team at the producer of Guinness and Johnnie Walker.

Lewis announced in August 2026 that Diageo would invest heavily in mass-market brands such as Smirnoff and Captain Morgan. Those investments are funded by a cost-cutting programme that will ultimately lead to a significantly smaller workforce.