Diageo undertakes executive reshuffling, appoints Dayalan Nayager as President Africa
AFRICA – British multinational alcoholic beverages company, Diageo, has appointed Dayalan Nayager, the current Managing Director of Diageo Great Britain as President Africa.
Dayalan who will also join the Diageo Executive Committee, brings his extensive leadership expertise and knowledge about the consumer goods industry to Africa’s alcohol beverage sector.
He has held different senior roles within the company to include Managing Director for Diageo Travel Retail, one of the key markets for the brewer.
Before being appointed Managing Director for Global Travel Retail, he served as Regional Director for GTME Europe.
During his time in Global Travel, he transformed commercial delivery across the region, developed a high performing cross-functional team and embarked on an ambitious strategy that successfully grew Diageo’s travel retail business.
Other than working at Diageo, he was the Head of Key accounts at Mars from January 2009 to December 2009 and led the Sales, Marketing, and Innovation department at Heinz Africa from November 2011 to February 2013.
He takes over the leadership of the region from John O’Keeffe who will be replacing Sam Fischer, as President Asia Pacific and Global Travel.
“With Sam Fischer’s departure at the end of June, we are delighted to announce that John O’Keeffe, currently President Africa and Beer, will succeed Sam as President Asia Pacific and Global Travel.
“Dayalan Nayager, currently MD Diageo Great Britain, will subsequently succeed John as President Africa and join the Diageo Executive Committee. Both John and Dayalan will take up their new roles on 1 July,” highligjhted Diageo in a LinkedIn post.
John has worked at Diageo for over 24 years and has gained a wealth of experience across both emerging and developed markets namely Ireland, Jamaica, Sweden, Greece and Russia.
Before his appointment as President, Diageo Africa, he was Managing Director for Guinness Nigeria Plc.
Sam has left Duageo to take up a stint at Australia’s leading beverage company Lion as the Group CEO, replacing Stuart Irvine.
“We would like to thank Sam for the significant contribution he has made to Diageo over the last 15 years and wish him well for the future, while also congratulating John and Dayalan on their new roles,” stated the owner of Jonnie Walker brand.
Prior to Diageo, Fischer spent 15 years at Colgate-Palmolive both in Australia and across Europe and Asia. He is also currently a Non-Executive Director with the Burberry Group.
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