PAUL Walsh, the chief executive of Diageo, is reported to be in line to leave the drinks giant with a package of interests worth around £50 million.

Mr Walsh, who will hand over to chief operating officer Ivan Menezes in July, holds shares worth £15.5m based on its £20.19 share price and has share options that could be worth £11.7m subject to performance conditions. His £19.2m pension pot could generate £580,000 annual income.

His near 13-year tenure has seen the closure of the Johnnie Walker bottling plant in Kilmarnock and a 150% rise in Diageo's market worth, from £19.7bn in September 2000 to about £50bn. He will retire from the Diageo board in September and from the company in June 2014.