Guinness Nigeria strenghtens diversity on the board with the appointment of Ms. Joan Hodgins

30 Jun 2023 | Press release

Guinness Nigeria today announces the retirement of Mr. Dayalan Nayager from the Board of Guinness Nigeria Plc with effect from 30th June 2023.  The company also announces the appointment of Diageo’s Global Talent Director, Ms. Joan Hodgins as a Non-Executive Director and Vice Chair of the Board of Guinness Nigeria Plc with effect from the 1st of July 2023.

These Board changes follows recent developments within the organization’s parent company Diageo Plc. to allow Mr. Dayalan Nayager assume expanded responsibilities at the Executive Group Management level. The appointment of Ms. Hodgins will also see the strengthening of the Board with the vast experience she brings unto the Board in the area of human resources management, people and talent while also improving diversity on the Board.

Speaking on the announcement, Guinness Nigeria’s Board Chair, Dr. Omobola Johnson noted that these changes within the organization are in line with the business’ growth ambitions for ensuring the long-term competitiveness of Guinness Nigeria.

“Mr. Nayager has contributed in no small measure to the success of Guinness Nigeria Plc., while serving as Board Vice-Chair and non-executive director in the last one year. The Board is grateful for his service to the company and even more excited to see him take on newer challenges and responsibilities in different capacities within Diageo.”

Ms. Hodgins, currently Diageo’s Global Talent Director, brings to the Board extensive experience in human resource management having previously held senior HR roles across North America, Australia, and Europe, and within Global Talent and Leadership Development. She is a business leader and a chartered occupational psychologist who joined Diageo in 2002 and is well-known for her deep passion for unleashing the power of purpose and performance to help people and businesses grow.

Speaking on the appointment of Ms. Hodgins, Managing Director Guinness Nigeria Plc, John Musunga said “Guinness Nigeria Plc is pleased with this appointment reaffirming its commitment to diversity and inclusion at the highest echelon of the business. The Board is optimistic that the leadership of the Company would be further strengthened through Ms. Hodgins’ invaluable experience and passion in developing strong talent and in delivering sustainable, stronger performance and improved stakeholders’ value.”

“Ms Hodgins as Vice Board Chair complements our board perfectly because of her unmatched skills and experiences, and we are confident she will provide the right leadership and valuable perspectives we continue to execute our strategy, drive profitability and enhance value for all stakeholders”, he added.

Ms Hodgins joins the Guinness Nigeria Board on 1st July 2023 and the appropriate notification of her appointment as well as Mr Nayager’s retirement has been sent to the Nigeria Exchange as required by extant regulations.

Latest press releases

    We are passionate about our customers and consumers – our curiosity and consumer insights drive our growth. We cherish our brands; we are creative and courageous in pursuing their full potential. We are innovative, constantly searching for new ideas.

    We value each other – we seek and benefit from diverse people and perspectives. We strive to create mutually fulfilling relationships and partnerships.

    We give ourselves the freedom to succeed – we trust each other, we are open and seek challenge, and we respond quickly to the opportunities this creates.

    We are proud of what we do and how we do it – we behave responsibly with the highest standards of integrity.

    We strive to be the best – we are always learning, always improving. We set high standards, we stretch to exceed them and we celebrate success.