ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE COMPANY Diageo has informed staff that a number of Irish jobs will be cut as it undergoes restructuring under its new chief executive.

Dave Lewis took on the head role at the struggling spirit company in January and reportedly tasked executives with cutting costs and headcounts.

Lewis bears the nickname ‘Drastic Dave’ for aggressive cost cuts at Tesco and packaged goods company Unilever under his tenure.

It’s understood approximately 150 jobs will be affected. 

The Financial Times reported last week that Lewis gave executives cost-reduction targets rather than numbers by which to reduce staff, although the newspaper said it understands teams that don’t generate revenue will be targeted with the cuts.

A Diageo spokesperson said that in February the company had “shared our intention to redesign our operating framework, to drive sustainable returns for shareholders by delivering a more competitive Diageo”.

“We will always prioritise informing our colleagues of any organisational changes first and have committed to update shareholders on our progress at a Capital Markets Day on 6 August.”

The Department of Enterprise confirmed it received a notification from the company of proposed collective redundancies on Monday.

Speaking to reporters at the GPO this afternoon, Public Expenditure Minister Jack Chambers said he’s concerned about job losses at the spirit maker.

“Different agencies of state will work with the respective workforce to ensure that we support them through that period,” Chambers said.

Diageo, which produces Guinness, Baileys, Johnny Walker, Smirnoff and other renowned alcoholic beverages, underwent a slump in revenue as its profits dipped in the US and Chinese markets.

Its shares hit a decade low at the end of 2025. The alcoholic drinks market has been hit globally as it grapples with lower alcohol consumption and consumer struggles with the cost of living.

However, in May Diageo reported a surprise sales growth in its third quarter, having strengthened its performance in Europe.

The company is globally headquartered in London, but its Irish base is at the historic St James’s Gate Brewery in Dublin 8. 

There has been a shuffle in executives in recent months since Lewis took over the company. Diageo Ireland’s new managing director Conor Neiland is due to take the reins on 1 July. 

Additional reporting by Christina Finn