Diageo has appointed Janine Blakeway as its new Global Head of Vodka Innovation, placing the experienced marketing and innovation executive at the helm of the beverage giant’s global vodka innovation agenda.
Blakeway announced the new role in September 2026, expressing excitement about bringing her extensive experience across multiple beverage categories to one of Diageo’s most prominent global portfolios.
“I’m delighted to be starting my new role as Global Head of Vodka Innovation at Diageo,” Blakeway said.
She noted that one of the key attractions of her career at Diageo has been the opportunity to continuously learn and gain experience across different categories and markets.
Over the past seven years, Janine Blakeway has worked across several of Diageo’s major categories, including gin, whisky, Baileys, tequila, rum and luxury innovation. She said the experience had exposed her to diverse teams, challenges and perspectives that she will now bring to her new global responsibility.
“I’m incredibly excited to bring those experiences into one of our most iconic global categories, working with amazing teams to explore future spaces and help shape what’s next for Vodka,” she added.
Blakeway brings extensive experience in brand management, marketing, innovation and new product development to the position.
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Prior to her latest appointment, she served as Global Head of Luxury Innovation at Diageo, a position she took up in June 2025. Before that, she was Head of European Innovation – Whisky, Vodka, Tequila and Baileys, from October 2022 to June 2025.
Her Diageo career also includes a role as Head of European Whisky Innovation, alongside earlier responsibility for European Gin & Aperitivo Innovation between 2019 and 2020.
With more than seven years at Diageo, Blakeway has developed broad experience across some of the company’s most important spirits categories, combining innovation, leadership and relationship-building capabilities.
Before joining Diageo, she spent a year at Premier Foods as Innovation Controller for Bisto and Saxa, following more than five years at Mars, where she served as Lead Marketing Innovation Manager for Chocolate.
Her earlier career included marketing and brand management roles at Coca-Cola, Cadbury, Cereal Partners and HJ Heinz, giving her more than two decades of experience spanning marketing, brand strategy, innovation and new product development.
In her new position, Janine Blakeway is expected to leverage that cross-category experience to identify emerging opportunities, develop new concepts and help shape the future direction of Diageo’s global vodka portfolio.
Her appointment comes as innovation continues to play a central role in the global spirits industry, with consumers, brands and producers increasingly seeking new occasions, experiences and product propositions.
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