Diageo cuts over 6% of global workforce under Dave Lewis
Diageo, the world's top spirits maker, is cutting more than 6% of its global workforce as part of a major shake-up led by new CEO Dave Lewis.
The company now has an average of 27,938 employees on a full-time equivalent basis, excluding staff of associates and joint ventures, down nearly 2,000 from last year, as it looks to streamline operations and remove overlapping roles.
Diageo $1 billion savings plan underway
Most job cuts will finish by September 1 and are happening across different regions. This is all part of Lewis's $1 billion savings plan since he took over in January.
Known for his tough cost-cutting moves at Tesco and Unilever, "Drastic Dave" is also lowering some product prices and doubling down on fast-growing categories, including Guinness and canned cocktails.
Some teams have seen staff trimmed by around 20% to 30%, showing just how big these changes are.