Paul S. Walsh

Paul S. Walsh, 2018

Paul Steven Walsh (born May 15, 1955 in Brescia ) is an English businessman and has been CEO of the Diageo beverage company since 2000 .

Walsh was born in Middleton, a town of around 45,000 people in the Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale , which is part of Greater Manchester in north-west England . He grew up in the neighboring small town of Chadderton and later attended college in Oldham . When he wanted to get his pilot's license, he turned out to be slightly color blind, so that he was not granted approval.

He studied at Manchester Metropolitan University in 1973 , but then found a job with International Computers Limited in London. He learned US management methods at Eaton Corporation .

From 1982 he worked for the Grand Metropolitan Group (Grand-Met) and was responsible for financial planning and accounting for the Watney Combe & Reid brewery . In 1986 he became the brewery's chief financial officer. In 1987 he became responsible for the Intercontinental Hotels group , which was then wholly owned by the Grand Metropolitan Group, and moved to New York.

In 1992 he became CEO of the Pillsbury Company but retained his position as Chief Financial Officer at the Grand Met .

In 1997, Grand Met merged with Guinness and the new company was named Diageo. In 1999 Walsh moved to England and initially became Chief Operating Officer .