NORWALK, Conn. -- Diageo has appointed Sheila Stanziale to the position of president, Diageo-Guinness USA (DGUSA). In her new role, Stanziale will have full responsibility for the growth and development of the company's beer business in the United States including the brands Guinness, Red Stripe, Smithwick's, Harp and Kilkenny, as well as the Smirnoff Ice flavored malt beverages (PABs) and the newly launched Smirnoff Premium Malt Mixed drinks.
Stanziale (pictured) will serve on the North America Executive Team, reporting to Larry Schwartz, president of Diageo USA.
"[image-nocss] This is a critical role at an important time for our beer business," said Schwartz. "With more than 25 years experience in the beverage and foodservice industries, Sheila will build on DGUSA's strong momentum. With overall DGUSA sales up, driven by Guinness and PABs, Diageo's beer business in the US is well positioned for growth."
Stanziale brings best practice experience from some of the biggest consumer product companies in the world, including PepsiCo, Nabisco and General Mills where she has held senior leadership positions in sales and operations. Most recently, she was vice president, sales and execution for PepsiCo's $700 million restaurant business, where she was responsible for driving profitable growth within on-premise channels including national and regional restaurant chains while working closely with distributors and bottlers to bring product to market.
She is practiced in new-to-world product launches, as well as leveraging innovation to drive profitability and sustainability of existing categories, the company said. With responsibility for the sales, marketing, supply chain and finance on the $350 million brand Naked Juice, she helped with broaden the consumer base and expand drinking occasions for this premium brand.
"Sheila's broad scope of experience is an ideal fit for DGUSA," added Schwartz. "Her extensive experience with several retail channels including convenience stores, innovative in-store merchandising programs and brand development align perfectly with our business objectives."
The appointment comes at an important time, as 2011 marks a year of continued growth for DGUSA, with new launches of Guinness Black Lager, Guinness Foreign Extra Stout and to continue the momentum of recent launches of Smirnoff Premium Malt Mixed Drinks and Red Stripe Light.
Stanziale will begin her new role on October 4, and will be based at Diageo's North American headquarters in Norwalk, Conn.
Diageo is a leading premium drinks business with a collection of beverage alcohol brands across spirits, wines and beer categories. These brands include Johnnie Walker, Guinness, Smirnoff, J&B, Baileys, Cuervo, Tanqueray, Captain Morgan, Crown Royal, Beaulieu Vineyard and Sterling Vineyards wines.
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