Yum! Brands earlier this month began operations as a reorganized company “to drive greater brand and geographic focus.” The move, first announced in November 2013, involved combining the company’s Yum! Restaurants International (YRI) and the US individual divisions for KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell. Meanwhile, Yum! Restaurants China and Yum! Restaurants India remain separate divisions.
Gibbs joined Yum! in 1989 and has risen through senior management since that time. He began his career in development, and his roles included vice president of development at KFC and at Yum! In 2006, he was promoted to chief financial officer of Pizza Hut in the United States, then to CFO at Yum! Restaurants International, and most recently president and CFO of YRI.
“David Gibbs is a champion for growth,” said Scott Bergren, CEO of Pizza Hut. “He is an outstanding business leader, with strong strategic and brand building skills, and a demonstrated ability to work effectively with franchisees, share best practices, and build people capability.”
Gibbs steps into the role vacated by Bergren, who was promoted to global brand leader for Pizza Hut during the recent reorganization.
Marker joined Yum! from Unilever more than 10 years ago as a marketer in the South Pacific region, based in Australia. He then was promoted to chief marketing officer and was instrumental in developing product and marketing ideas that were first successful in Australia and then exported across KFC’s global system. He relocated to YRI as vice president of global branding and marketing. He most recently was chief marketing officer of KFC US.
“Jason Marker is the ideal candidate to lead the KFC business in the US,” said Micky Pant, CEO of KFC. “He has excellent commercial skills, with a deep understanding of consumer insights and concept development. He is also detail-oriented and works effectively with franchisees and has demonstrated leadership skills cross-functionally.”
Marker replaces John Cywinski, who was president for the past three years and has made the personal decision to resign from the company to pursue other opportunities.
