Neil Shah is Global Marketing Director – Smirnoff at Diageo. Based in NYC, he leads key global initiatives for Smirnoff, the world’s largest premium spirits brand, across: brand strategy, ATL, BTL and Innovation. His work has included: partnering with Spotify to make music more equal, launching a content series celebrating local music scenes all over the globe and developing new packaging for Smirnoff in Africa.
Before moving to New York, Neil was based at Diageo’s HQ in London, where he was Europe Senior Brand Manager – Ready Drinks. In the role he turned around the Ready Drinks portfolio of brands, including: Smirnoff, Captain Morgan and Gordon’s from decline to double digit growth and earned himself a place on Diageo’s coveted Global Future Leaders Program.
Prior to Diageo, Neil held various marketing roles at Virgin Media, starting on their first-ever Marketing Graduate Program and rising to Marketing Manager. At Virgin Media, he worked across one of the UK’s largest marketing budgets and delivered award-winning campaigns and disruptive product launches. Neil’s earlier career was spent agency-side at Splendid Communications.
Neil is passionate about embedding brands in culture, brands with purpose and brand turnarounds. He is a regular contributor to the marketing industry, for example speaking at Advertising Week and mentoring aspiring marketers on how to break into the industry.
Neil is a culture obsessive and outside of work he can be found digging through vinyl at a record store, checking out and exhibition at an art gallery or watching one of his favourite bands at a gig.
