She is currently CFO of WPP plc, having previously held senior financial and commercial roles at drinks company Britvic, dunnhumby, Tesco and KPMG, where she qualified as a chartered accountant. She will be joining joining Diageo’s Board and Executive Committee some time in 2027, the company said.
Diageo recently revealed it is conducting a $1.2bn restructuring programme to deliver $850 million savings over two years. Sales declines have hit North America and Asia Pacific, although Guinness, Smirnoff RTD and Johnnie Walker were highlighted as stand out performers.
This is the second recent new appointment under chief executive David Lewis.
Alex Keith, the former CEO of Proctor & Gamble, is expected to join the board on 5 November 2026 subject to shareholder approval.
Wilson will be replacing replacing Nik Jhangiani, who joined Diageo from Coca-Cola Europacific Partners in September 2024 and was interim Chief Executive from July to December 2025. He was responsible for overseeing the Accelerate programme and focusing on cash delivery, operational excellence and cost efficiency.
Sir Dave Lewis, Chief Executive, Diageo said: “It is a real pleasure working with Nik and I would like to thank him for his support to me and his significant contribution to Diageo. Nik and I have agreed that, now we have shared our new strategy, this is the right time for this change. Nik will remain in role to ensure a smooth handover to Joanne.”
Lewis added: “Joanne is a very experienced CFO and commercial leader who will ensure we accelerate the turnaround of Diageo, having already delivered extensive transformations in her previous companies. I am looking forward to welcoming her to Diageo and the Executive team.”
Sir John Manzoni, Chair, Diageo said: “The Board is grateful to Nik for everything that he has achieved with Diageo in repositioning the business to enable improved delivery of sustainable growth and shareholder value. I am delighted to welcome Joanne to the Board and look forward to her contribution to delivering the next phase of Diageo’s transformation.”
Wilson said she was excited to join the company at such as an “exciting point” in its journey.
“Diageo has a unique portfolio of global brands and a clear strategy with significant opportunities ahead,” she said. “I very much look forward to working together with all colleagues to consistently create value for shareholders and strong outcomes for all stakeholders.”
Jhangiani added: “I am proud that we were recently able to set out our three-year financial plan to our investors, including significant progress on deleveraging and strengthening our balance sheet. I would like to thank my fantastic team for their support, and I wish Dave and all our colleagues the very best for the future.”
In addition to her role at WPP plc, Joanne is a non-executive director of Informa.
