Burger King names Axel Schwan CMO

Burger King Worldwide Inc. has named Axel Schwan executive vice president and global chief marketing officer, effective Jan. 1, 2014, the company said Thursday.

Schwan will replace current CMO Flavia Faugeres, who will remain in her post for the duration of the year.

Schwan has more than 13 years of experience in the restaurant industry. For the past two years he has been the vice president of marketing and communications for Burger King’s Europe, Middle East and Africa, or EMEA, division. He previously was the company’s marketing director for Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

Burger King said the EMEA region “outperformed the competition in 2013 as a result of strategically executed, broad-based marketing initiatives, including new-product introductions, advertising and social campaigns.”

The Miami-based company also reiterated in a press release that its marketing strategy would remain the same and “be focused on delivering superior products and a positive guest experience in an inviting dining environment.”

“We are fortunate to have someone with Axel’s strong track record leading the global marketing team during the next important and exciting phase of our global brand initiatives,” chief executive Daniel Schwartz said in a statement. “This transition will be seamless and I, along with the rest of our leadership team, remain confident in our ability to maintain the momentum we have created for the Burger King brand globally. We are well-positioned for the future, and we all extend our thanks and gratitude for Flavia for getting us where we are today.”

Separately, Steve Wiborg, executive vice president and chairman of North America, informed Burger King that he would end his employment for “good reason,” effective Oct. 25. According to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Burger King will not replace Wiborg, whose duties will fall to Alex Macedo, the company’s executive vice president and president of the North American division.

The brand’s top marketing role has seen some of the most turnover during Burger King’s last few years, when it went from being a public company to an acquired holding of 3G Capital in 2010 to going public again in 2012.

Faugeres had been global CMO since September 2011, after taking over for Natalia Franco, who resigned in March 2011 as part of a strategic realignment under 3G Capital’s ownership. She had served in that post for less than a year after taking over in May 2010 for Russ Klein.

Burger King’s mostly franchised system of more than 13,000 locations operates in the United States and 88 foreign markets.

Contact Mark Brandau at [email protected].
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