Sally Grimes appointed as New CEO of Diageo North America

By: WE Staff | Friday, 29 September 2023

Sally Grimes, an Indian Immigrant daughter, has been appointed as the Chief executive officer of Diageo North America by the world's largest alcobeverage company Diageo. She will start her duties from 1 October 2023.

According to a press release from Diageo, Sally has more than 25 years of experience in the food and beverage industry and most recently served as the Chief Executive Officer at Clif Bar & Company. She will join the executive committee of the company and report to Debra Crew, Chief Executive of Diageo.

Sally hails from Bourbonnais and her parents are immigrants of India who settled in the United States in the 1960s. They had a significant influence on Sally's upbringing. She has a bachelor's degree in finance from Valparaiso University and completed her MBA at the University of Chicago.

As Sally has more than 25 years of experience in the food and beverage industry, she established herself as a global innovator and brand builder. She is a devoted advocate for inclusion and diversity and is passionate about creating a winning culture. The leading producer of organic energy bars in North America, Clif Bar & Company, where she most recently served as the CEO. There she led 10 10-year strategy growth plan, developed the company's mission, crafted a distinct portfolio strategy, and ultimately brought the company's successful sale to Mondelez International.

She has previously led a $10 billion, 25,000-person organization while serving as group President of Tyson Foods which is a Prepared Foods segment, the largest food company in America. She began her career in banking before holding a number of positions with major consumer goods companies, including Kraft Foods and Newell Brands. She has worked as a non-executive director for many years and served on boards for companies such as Beyond Meat, Inc., Continental Grain Company, and Silver Oak Winery.

She has been featured on the Fortune Most Powerful Women to Watch and Fast Company's Top 100 Most Creative People in Business for her phenomenal works.

Pernod Richard, a top-tier international premium spirits company and Diageo's rival is also led by an Indian American Woman in North America. CEO of Pernod Richard North America is Ann Mukherjee who has worked for FMCG companies like Kraft Foods Group, PepsiCo, and S. C. Johnson & Son for 31 years and has extensive experience in marketing, sales, and general management. She held senior global positions before joining as CEO of Pernod Richard North America in 2019, including as the President of Global Snacks & and Global Insights at PepsiCo and Global Chief Marketing Officer and Commercial Officer at SC Johnson.