Paul Walsh (businessman)

Paul Walsh (businessman)

Paul Steven Walsh (born 15 May 1955) is an English businessman. He is the chief executive of Diageo, the world's largest spirits group, which owns brands such as Johnnie Walker, Baileys and Smirnoff.

Although he has been criticised in the press for what some see as an excessively high salary, Walsh has received admiration for his ability to build brands. Currently the third longest serving FTSE 100 chief executive, he has spent the majority of his career at Diageo and its precursor Grand Metropolitan. His most notable decision was the acquisition of the Seagram drinks company, which added Captain Morgan rum and Crown Royal Canadian whisky to the company's roster of brands.

Walsh's tenure in charge of Diageo has closely mirrored his behaviour as head of the Pillsbury food business: selling off non-essential assets such as Burger King and aggressively marketing a select number of "core" brands. He has also been notably disciplined regarding prices paid for the acquisition of assets. More recently, he has increased Diageo's exposure to developing markets such as India and China.