Global drinks giant Diageo has celebrated its 20th anniversary, having been created on 17 December 1997.
Diageo was formed through the merger of Grand Metropolitan plc and Guinness plc and has gone on to become one of the most significant companies in the world in the beverage alcohol industry.
The company celebrated with Chief Executive, Ivan Menezes, opening the London Stock Exchange alongside some of the company’s Scotch whisky blenders and members of the senior leadership team.
Speaking about the anniversary, Menezes said: “I am incredibly proud of what we have achieved over the past 20 years, which is testament to the commitment of our talented employees past and present. Diageo is a young company created from the incredible entrepreneurial legacy of John Walker, Pierre Smirnoff, Charles Tanqueray, Arthur Guinness and many more – and this spirit continues today.
“Our brands are part of celebrations globally every day, as we mark this milestone, it is not only the growth of our brands and business that I will be toasting, but the way we do business. We have made great strides in diversity and inclusion, minimising our environmental impact, our contribution to the communities where we operate and in our aim to reduce the harmful use of alcohol around the world.”
In Australia, Diageo is also a major force with its global portfolio as well as local brands, including Bundaberg Rum.
David Smith, Diageo Australia Managing Director said: “Diageo’s 20 year anniversary marks an exciting time for the Australian business. Our performance has been driven by a significant re-investment in our core brands including the iconic Bundaberg Rum and the world’s best-selling Scotch brand Johnnie Walker.
“We employ close to 450 people across all of our sites and more than 80 per cent of the products we sell in Australia are manufactured and bottled in Australia.
“Our innovations such as Bundaberg Lazy Bear, Smirnoff Pure and Johnnie & Ginger have driven pre-mix category growth and our Reserve portfolio of brands are benefiting from the resurgence of cocktail culture and drinkers choosing to drink better rather than more.”