LOUISVILLE, Ky. Yum! Brands Inc. is reshuffling management of its domestic operations to make two executives each responsible for several of the quick-service behemoth’s U.S. brands.
On Dec. 1, Emil Brolick will assume the newly created post of president of U.S. Brand Building, with responsibility for Taco Bell, Pizza Hut and KFC. He will report to Yum! chief executive David Novak. Reporting to him will be the presidents of the three brands in his charge, including two who were newly appointed. Brolick is currently president of Taco Bell.
As of next month, Peter Hearl will move up to the new corporate post of chief operating and development officer, with oversight of all the company’s operations and responsibility for Yum!’s two smaller brands, Long John Silver’s and A&W All American Food. He, too, will report to Novak. Hearl is presently the president of Pizza Hut.
Reporting to him will be the chief operating officers of Yum!’s three major brands, who will simultaneously answer to their respective concept’s president. Hearl will also have Chuck Rawley, chief development officer of Yum!’s U.S. operations, as a direct report, along with the top managers of Long John Silver’s and A&W.
Greg Creed, the executive who oversaw development of Taco Bell’s “Think Outside the Bun” marketing campaign, will replace Brolick as president of the Mexican chain. He is currently chief marketing officer. His successor in that capacity has not been announced.
Succeeding Hearl as president of Pizza Hut is Scott Bergren, who currently holds the corporate posts of executive vice president and chief marketing and food innovation officer. Yum!’s announcement of the management changes did not indicate if those positions would be retained.
Gregg Dedrick remains president of KFC.
Brolick was elevated to the second-highest post in Yum!’s management after serving for six years as president of Taco Bell. He joined the company from Wendy’s. When the latter was searching for a CEO, Brolick was often cited as a possible candidate. Wendy’s eventually gave the job to Kerrii Anderson, formerly the burger chain’s chief financial officer.
No changes were made in Yum!’s international divisions, where Sam Su continues as president of Yum! China Division and Graham Allan remains president of Yum! Restaurants International.
Yum! Brands Inc. operates, franchises or licenses 34,000 restaurants worldwide.
