Walsh to join United Spirits

Diageo holds a majority stake in the owner of Whyte & Mackay following the acquisition of shares earlier this year.

Walsh will step down from Diageo’s board next month but is remaining in an advisory role until June to help new chief executive Ivan Menezes.

Last week it was announced that Walsh will then also take up an unspecified £80,000-a-year role in the Scotch whisky industry funded by Diageo for up to five years.

In July the Office of Fair Trading issued an “invitation to comment” on whether the Diageo and United Spirits tie-up would make the spirits market anti-competitive.