Editing Diageo (section)

===Formation===
Diageo was formed in 1997 from the merger of [[Guinness plc]] and [[Grand Metropolitan]]. Its creation was driven by the executives Anthony Greener and [[Philip Yea]] at Guinness,<ref>{{cite web |title=Diageo |url=https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Diageo |website=Grace's Guide |access-date=11 December 2019 |archive-date=25 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230825104349/https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Diageo |url-status=live }}</ref> along with George Bull and John McGrath of Grand Metropolitan.<ref>{{cite web |title=Profile: John McGrath – The Man Who'll Mix The Drinks |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/profile-john-mcgrath-the-man-wholl-mix-the-drinks-1262146.html |website=The Independent |date=22 October 2011 |access-date=11 December 2019 |archive-date=16 June 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200616154118/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/profile-john-mcgrath-the-man-wholl-mix-the-drinks-1262146.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Anthony Greener was the first executive chairman.<ref>{{cite web |title=A liquid lunch |url=http://www.forbes.com/forbes/1999/0920/6407144a.html |website=Forbes |access-date=11 December 2019 |archive-date=25 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230825104357/https://www.forbes.com/forbes/1999/0920/6407144a.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Shares in Diageo began trading on the London Stock Exchange on 17 December 1997.<ref>{{cite web |title=Diageo's drinks are best left on the shelf |url=http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/comment/diageos-heady-cocktail-is-best-left-on-the-shelf-586305.html |website=The Independent |access-date=10 December 2019}}</ref>

Diageo is an invented name that was created by the branding consultancy [[Wolff Olins]] in 1997.<ref name=diageowo>{{cite web|url=http://wolffolins.com/work/diageo|title=Diageo Case Study|access-date=6 June 2012|publisher=Wolff Olins|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130120163413/http://wolffolins.com/work/diageo|archive-date=20 January 2013}}</ref> The name is composed of the [[Latin]] word ''diēs'', meaning "day", and the [[Greek root]] ''geo-'', meaning "earth"; and is meant to reference the company slogan "Celebrating Life, Every Day, Everywhere".<ref>{{cite web |title=History of Diageo |url=https://www.drinks.ng/history-of-diageo/ |website=Drinks.ng |date=August 2016 |access-date=18 December 2019 |archive-date=25 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230825104350/https://drinks.ng/history-of-diageo/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Guinness' new name gets shareholder thumbs |url=http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/guinness-new-name-gets-shareholder-thumbs-down-1296537.html |website=The Independent |date=23 October 2011 |access-date=6 June 2012 |archive-date=8 August 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140808044920/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/guinness-new-name-gets-shareholder-thumbs-down-1296537.html |url-status=live }}</ref>