Diageo names Julie Brown to its Board of Directors

Diageo announces the appointment of Julie Brown as a Non-Executive Director, effective 5 August 2024. On appointment, Julie will succeed Alan Stewart as Chair of the Audit Committee, who will retire from the Board immediately prior to Diageo’s AGM in September 2024.

Julie has been Chief Financial Officer and Executive Director of GSK plc since 1 May 2023, prior to which she served as Chief Operating and Financial Officer and Executive Director, Burberry Group plc between 2017 and 2023. Julie has also served as Group CFO of Smith & Nephew plc from 2013 to 2017 having previously worked for 25 years at AstraZeneca PLC in various finance, commercial and strategic roles including as regional and country president and latterly as Interim Group CFO.

She has extensive experience in financial and strategic matters, business transformation and executive leadership in complex multi-national UK-listed organisations within the life sciences and consumer goods sectors. In addition to her executive roles, Julie was a Non-Executive Director and Audit Chair of Roche Holding AG from 2016 to 2022 and has been a member of the UK Prime Minister’s Business Council. She is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountancy and the Institute of Tax, having qualified with KPMG.