LONDON, United Kingdom: Diageo has chosen former Tesco chief Dave Lewis as its next CEO, ending months of speculation about who would take the helm of the world's largest spirits maker.

The 60-year-old executive, known for his turnaround work at Tesco and Unilever, will take charge in early 2026, succeeding interim chief Nik Jhangiani, who will return to his role as finance head in January.

Lewis joins Diageo at a difficult moment. The maker of Johnnie Walker whisky and Guinness beer recently cut its sales and profit forecast for fiscal 2026, and its shares are trading near a ten-year low amid slowing global demand for premium drinks.

"The Board unanimously felt that Dave has both the extensive CEO experience and the proven leadership skills in building and marketing world-leading brands, which is right for Diageo at this time," Chair John Manzoni said in a statement.

Lewis spent six years as CEO of Tesco, where he led a sweeping restructuring that restored the supermarket chain's dominance after an accounting scandal and years of declining sales. Before that, he spent three decades at Unilever, earning the nickname "Drastic Dave" for his mix of aggressive cost-cutting and creative marketing.

He also briefly served as the UK government's supply-chain adviser during the pandemic and was knighted in 2021 for services to business.

At Diageo, Lewis will be expected to reignite growth across its global portfolio and reassure investors after a turbulent year of executive exits and weaker-than-expected results.

Interim CEO Nik Jhangiani, a highly regarded finance leader, stepped in after the sudden departure of Debra Crew in July. He will continue as interim chief until the end of December before resuming his position as chief financial officer.

Deirdre Mahlan, who took over as acting finance chief in August, will stay on to support the transition, the company said.

Lewis currently serves as chair of Haleon, the consumer healthcare company spun out of GlaxoSmithKline, but will step down from that role before joining Diageo.