GSK CEO among candidates considered for Diageo leadership: FT

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Diageo (DEO [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/DEO]) has considered a multitude of internal and external candidates, including Emma Walmsley, outgoing CEO of GSK (GSK [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/GSK]), for the company’s leadership role, The Financial Times reported on Saturday, citing people familiar with the situation.

While interim chief executive Nik Jhangiani is widely expected to take over the role permanently, shareholders of the British drinks group have become increasingly frustrated by the company’s failure to name a new CEO.

Former CEO Debra Crew stepped down in July, and then-CFO Jhangiani assumed leadership as the company began an executive search process. In August, Jhangiani said he expected the company to appoint a permanent replacement to Crew by October.

With no mention of such an appointment in Diageo’s (DEO [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/DEO]) Q1 FY26 results this week, [https://seekingalpha.com/news/4517548-diageo-lowers-fy26-outlook-on-soft-us-chinese-sales] shareholders have expressed frustration.

Investors are “becoming increasingly puzzled as [https://www.ft.com/content/65b3526e-bb97-48b8-a643-3bcf0e9fb2d7] to why it’s taking so long,” said Kai Lehmann, a senior analyst at top Diageo (DEO [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/DEO]) shareholder, Flossbach von Storch. “The market needs clarity . . . We would like to see a solution in place soon,” he added.

Walmsley, who is set to hand over her CEO role at the British drugmaker on Dec. 31 [https://seekingalpha.com/news/4499728-british-drugmaker-gsk-stock-climbs-after-picking-insider-luke-miels-for-ceo-post], has not engaged Diageo (DEO [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/DEO]) or its board regarding a potential appointment and has no interest in the position, a person close to GSK (GSK [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/GSK]) told FT.

GSK’s (GSK [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/GSK]) CFO Julie Brown also functions as a member of Diageo's (DEO [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/DEO]) board, and Walmsley briefly served the Guinness maker as a board member in 2016.

MORE ON DIAGEO, GSK

* Diageo plc (DEO) Q1 2026 Shareholder Analyst Call Transcript [https://seekingalpha.com/article/4839100-diageo-plc-deo-q1-2026-shareholder-analyst-call-transcript]
* Diageo plc (DEO) Shareholder/Analyst Call - Slideshow [https://seekingalpha.com/article/4840047-diageo-plc-deo-shareholder-analyst-call-slideshow]
* GSK plc (GSK) Q3 2025 Earnings Call Transcript [https://seekingalpha.com/article/4834647-gsk-plc-gsk-q3-2025-earnings-call-transcript]
* Diageo lowers FY26 outlook on soft U.S., Chinese sales [https://seekingalpha.com/news/4517548-diageo-lowers-fy26-outlook-on-soft-us-chinese-sales]
* GSK rises on higher profit growth projected for 2025 [https://seekingalpha.com/news/4510294-gsk-rises-on-higher-profit-growth-projected-for-2025]