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Yum! Brands, parent company of KFC, names new CEO


Yum! Brands, the owner of KFC and Pizza Hut, has unanimously named Chris Turner as its new CEO following a board of directors vote.

Mr. Turner, currently Yum! Brands' Chief Financial and Franchise Officer, will assume the role of CEO on October 1. He succeeds David Gibbs, who announced in March 2025 his plans to retire within the year after 37 years with the company.

Mr Turner said: “I’m deeply honoured to step into the role of CEO at Yum! Brands and incredibly grateful for the opportunity to lead this global company with such iconic brands.

“I want to sincerely thank David Gibbs for his exceptional leadership and partnership. I’m excited to build on all that we’ve accomplished together alongside our talented teams and in partnership with our franchisees around the world, as we innovate, grow our brands and continue delivering exceptional experiences for our consumers.”

Mr. Turner has served as Chief Financial Officer of Yum! Brands since 2019 and took on the additional role of Chief Franchise Officer in 2024, overseeing finance, corporate strategy, supply chain, franchise standards, and support.

In recent years, he has played a key role in leveraging Yum! Brands’ global scale, spearheading bold initiatives such as accelerating its digital and technology transformation through the launch of Byte by Yum!—an AI-powered restaurant technology platform—and establishing a centralised, global Supply Chain Center of Excellence.

He has collaborated closely with Mr. Gibbs and the broader Yum! Brands leadership team to drive growth through unit expansion, deliver strong returns to shareholders, and cultivate a people-first culture rooted in collaboration.

Mr Gibbs added: “It has been the privilege of a lifetime to lead Yum! Brands and work with such passionate, talented people across our global system throughout my almost 37 years with the company.

“I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve accomplished together and am confident that the best is yet to come. During my time partnering with Chris, he’s demonstrated deep knowledge of our business, strong values and a clear commitment to our growth. I can’t think of a better person to guide Yum! into its next chapter, and I look forward to supporting a smooth and successful transition.”

As CEO, Mr. Turner will lead the execution of Yum! Brands’ Good Growth strategy, focusing on advancing digital initiatives, scaling bold innovations to strengthen its iconic brands, and driving sustainable long-term performance.

Turner’s career includes leadership roles at major global brands such as PepsiCo and its subsidiaries. Before joining Yum! Brands, he led PepsiCo’s retail and e-commerce operations with Walmart across the US and over 25 countries, overseeing the company’s beverage, snack, and nutrition brands.


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