Diageo Promotes Neil Shah to Global Brand Director for Johnnie Walker

Neil Shah has been promoted to Global Brand Director for Johnnie Walker at Diageo, taking on a broader leadership role for one of the company’s flagship whisky brands.

Shah announced the move in a LinkedIn post, saying he was excited to begin his new position as Global Brand Director for Johnnie Walker.

Nearly 11 Years at Diageo

Shah has been with Diageo for nearly 11 years, building experience across several global and regional brand leadership roles.

Most recently, he served as Global Brand Director – Whiskey Portfolio from November 2023 to August 2026, overseeing the company’s wider whisky portfolio before moving into the Johnnie Walker role.

Leadership Across Guinness and Smirnoff

Before leading the global whisky portfolio, Shah served as Head of Guinness, Great Britain, from October 2020 to November 2023.

Earlier in his Diageo career, he held positions including Global Marketing Director for Smirnoff and Europe Senior Brand Manager – RTD (Ready-to-Drink), contributing to brand strategy and marketing across multiple international markets.

Earlier Career at Virgin Media

Before joining Diageo, Shah worked at Virgin Media, where he held roles including Marketing Manager and was part of the company’s Marketing Graduate Programme.

His career has since evolved across brand management, global marketing and portfolio leadership, with experience spanning several of Diageo’s international brands.

Leading Johnnie Walker’s Global Brand

In his new role, Shah will lead the global brand direction for Johnnie Walker, drawing on nearly 11 years of experience within Diageo across whisky, beer and spirits marketing.

His promotion marks the latest step in a career focused on building global consumer brands and expanding marketing leadership across international markets.