Not-so-drastic Dave: Diageo boss defies expectations of slash-and-burn reign Markets ‘Drastic Dave’ Lewis, who gained a reputation for cost-cutting and ruthless rationalisation during his time at Unilever and Tesco, was more ‘demure Dave’ when announcing Diageo’s first results of his tenure as chief executive. The spirits giant has been struggling in recent years, with its share price down 22 per cent year-on-year – and Lewis’ [...]
Diageo slashes dividend as ‘Drastic Dave’ takes charge Markets Guinness maker Diageo has slashed its dividend as the cost-cutting regime of new chief executive ‘drastic’ Dave Lewis begins to take hold, prompting a share price spook. The board announced the “difficult” decision to cut its dividend to 20 cents to “accelerate the strengthening” of its balance sheet in its interim results, the first financial [...]
‘Drastic’ Dave to serve up new vision for Guinness maker Diageo Retail It’s been a rocky 12 months for drinks titan Diageo and Sir Dave Lewis will be looking to cure the firm’s long-running hangover when he serves up his future vision next week. Diageo’s stock has tumbled over 15 per cent in the last 12 months with a notable drop in November after operating profit growth [...]
Diageo, Burberry rally after Trump tariff ruling February 20, 2026 Shares in two of the FTSE 100’s biggest retailers rallied on Friday afternoon after it was revealed President Trump’s sweeping global tariff regime had been struck down by the top US court. Burberry shares ended the day’s trading session up 3.2 per cent to 1,212p, while Diageo jumped 3.9 per cent to 1,851p after the [...]
Mind the G: Guinness takes over tube platforms in TfL brand deal February 11, 2026 Commuters with sore heads and a creeping sense of dread may fear they’ve seen a mirage when alighting from the Northern Line platforms at Tottenham Court Road for the next week. Eleven tube route maps in the station have been temporarily resigned to mimic a pint of Guinness in Transport for London’s (TfL) latest advertising [...]
The real Guinness Six Nations showdown is happening in the pub February 7, 2026 As the Guinness Six Nations kicks off, Britain will do what it does best: argue about referees, over-analyse scrums, and drink a respectable amount of beer. And while the games unfold on the pitch, another contest will play out in pubs, feeds and group chats across the country. For beer brands, live sport remains one [...]
Is Guinness Bristol City deal a sign of football shirt sponsorships to come? February 4, 2026 Looming exit of betting companies from football front-of-shirt sponsorship opens the door for more consumer brands like Guinness to return, writes Matthew Fletcher-Jones. Having made the often-regrettable decision to support Tottenham Hotspur in the 1980s, I’m still pleased to see any corner shop selling Holsten Pils – the club’s shirt sponsor throughout my youth. Chelsea [...]
Guinness returns to English football shirt sponsorship for first time since 1980s January 29, 2026 Guinness is returning to the front of an English football shirt for the first time since 1986 after signing a deal with Women’s Super League 2 team Bristol City. The West Country team – co-owned by Steve Lansdown of Hargreaves Lansdown fame, and women’s sport conglomerate Mercury13 – will see their shirts feature Guinness 0.0 [...]
Mark Kleinman: Can Osborne usher in a golden era for HSBC? November 20, 2025 Mark Kleinman is Sky News’ City Editor and the man who gets the Square Mile talking in his weekly City AM column Can Osborne usher in a golden era for HSBC? George Osborne’s words to his Chinese audience were clear: “Through the ups and downs, let’s stick together. Let’s stick together to grow our economies. Let’s stick together to make [...]
Who is ‘Drastic Dave’, the man sent to save Diageo? November 11, 2025 Diageo shareholders breathed a sigh of relief this morning after the FTSE 100 drinks giant unveiled the appointment of its new chief executive, Sir Dave Lewis. Shares rose 7.5 per cent in morning trading to 1,856 pence following the selection of the retail and consumer goods veteran, rebounding from their sharp drop last Thursday following [...]