Diageo boss Paul Walsh is about to swap the drinks cabinet for school dinners.
The outgoing chief executive of the FTSE 100 drinks giant is expected to be appointed chairman of Compass Group, the catering firm whose customers include oil rigs, schools and Wimbledon.
Diageo said in May that Mr Walsh would step down as CEO at the end of this month, after 13 years at the helm of the group that makes Gordon’s Gin and Smirnoff vodka. He will depart the board in September and fully retire from the company at the end of June next year.
Mr Walsh, 58, is expected to succeed Roy Gardner as Compass chairman on his departure from the catering group at the company’s annual meeting next February. Mr Gardener took up the role in 2006. He received £496,000, including benefits, last year, though Mr Walsh’s fee is not known as yet.
A Compass spokesman declined to comment.
