Debra Crew’s abrupt departure from Diageo this week came just days after she told its chair her position as chief executive had been made untenable by the board’s failure to quash speculation that finance boss Nik Jhangiani was angling for her job.

Diageo CEO Debra Crew has stepped down after two years in the job, the world's biggest spirits maker said on Wednesday, with finance chief Nik Jhangiani taking over in the interim as the company strives to boost its performance and cut debt.