Diageo is bringing a former Procter & Gamble beauty executive onto its board as the spirits company steps up efforts to strengthen its leadership and sharpen its turnaround plan.

Alex Keith, who led P&G’s beauty business before leaving the consumer goods giant, will join Diageo as a non-executive director on 5 November, subject to shareholder approval at the group’s annual general meeting. Diageo said she brings 35 years of international experience across consumer products, brand building, supply chain and senior management, with a career spanning North America, Europe and Asia.

According to Diageo, Keith helped drive growth at P&G through innovation, portfolio development, acquisitions and organisational change. She has also served as a non-executive director of Thermo Fisher Scientific since 2020, giving her additional board experience in a large US-listed business.

John Manzoni, Diageo’s chairman, said in a statement to the London Stock Exchange that Keith had a strong record of building global brands, scaling complex businesses and creating shareholder value through disciplined execution and portfolio strategy. He said the company wanted to deepen the board’s expertise as it works to improve competitiveness and push through its transformation programme.

The appointment comes shortly after Diageo set out details of a $1.2bn restructuring plan under chief executive Dave Lewis. That move followed a series of leadership changes in recent years, including appointments aimed at strengthening the group’s North American operations and boardroom expertise.

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