The Habit Burger Grill has named Jack Hinchliffe as its new global chief marketing officer. Hinchliffe most recently served as chief marketing officer of KFC UK and Ireland and has been a part of the Yum Brands system since 2015.
According to the company, Hinchliffe was instrumental in driving changes across food, communications and media to make KFC UK and Ireland more relevant. He also spearheaded the growth of KFC’s digital transformation with the move to omnichannel retailing, culminating in the launch of the brand’s own delivery channel in the market last year.
“I had the pleasure of working with Jack at KFC, and I’m elated to have him join our team,” Shannon Hennessy, The Habit Burger Grill president, said in a statement. “Under his leadership, KFC UKI was awarded Brand of the Year by Marketing Week in 2021 and took home a Gold IPA Effectiveness Award for Business Transformation. Jack is a true marketing powerhouse; I know first-hand that he has the skills, experience, and passion to take The Habit to the next level of brand awareness and distinctiveness.”
“When the opportunity to work for The Habit Burger Grill presented itself, I just couldn’t pass it up,” Hinchliffe said in a statement. “The food and hospitality at The Habit Burger Grill are world class; it’s an incredible business but there is still work to be done to build a brand that connects with people in a competitive and cluttered category, and I’m excited for the challenge. I am very grateful to be a part of this exciting next chapter as we embark on creating a modern and distinctive brand that has crafted, quality food at its heart.”
The news comes as Iwona Alter, former chief brand officer, was appointed as chief operating officer for The Habit Burger Grill. Under Alter’s leadership, the brand launched its first-ever advertising campaign, established a consumer insights discipline, and grew its digital marketing.
California-based The Habit Burger Grill includes over 350 restaurants. It was acquired by Yum Brands in early 2020.
Contact Alicia Kelso at [email protected]
