Diageo Global Travel & Middle East, GTME, announcedkey changes in its structure enabling the global leader to evolve into a much more customer centric organization and ensure a faster response to its growing regional markets’ needs. As such, a number of organizational changes took effect at Diageo Middle East & North Africa.
As of April 1, 2015, Diageo MENA consists of two business units: Lebanon/Levant and North Africa, and the Gulf. “This new structure is designed to support Diageo’s strategy and foster a culture that produces increased focus on customers, regions, and channels. it further reduces complexities, while giving the best advantage to exciting opportunities, and greater leverage of the talents and skills the company has,” explained Doug Bagley, Managing Director of Diageo GTME.
The first business unit, Lebanon/Levant and North Africa, focuses on Lebanon and regional customers in the neighboring markets of Iraq, Jordan, Algeria, Morocco, Egypt, and Tunisia. The merger of these two market units aims at leveraging combined skills and talents from different functions. Lara Nassar, who previously held the position of MENA Marketing Director, has now been promoted to General Manager of the new combined unit, with Alain Dibo remaining as General Manager of Diageo Levant and North Africa, reporting to Mrs Nassar. Jad El-Osta, previous General Manager of Diageo Lebanon, has decided to pursue other opportunities abroad and outside Diageo.
Diageo Gulf, the second business unit, will focus on customers and markets in the Gulf region, both in Travel Retail and domestic. John Kelly will spearhead this unit, based in Dubai. Kelly reports to the MENA Regional Director.
Diageo also announced a new Regional Director, Zeina Hatem following the departure of Marwan Badri after 22 years of service at Diageo and who also was a key business growth driver in the region.Hatem will spearhead the overall regional operation and ensure the right focus is given to strategicall business and leadership aspects. Sheis currently leading the Innovation agenda for Diageo Latin America and Caribbean as General Manager – Innovation, based in Miami. Before that role she was the Marketing Director of Moet Hennessey Diageo France, based in Paris, and prior to that, held various commercial and marketing roles across Europe and the Middle East, with over 15 years of experience with Mars, Cadbury Schweppes, and Procter & Gamble. She will take on her role as Director on July 16, 2015, and will be based in Dubai.
The new Diageo MENA structure further aligns the MENA organization behind its ambition, enabling talent investment in the broader business aspects, and ensuring greater customer focus. The Diageo MENA leadership team will be based in Beirut or Dubai, depending on role.