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Pizza Hut chief operating officer Chequan Lewis exits the companyPizza Hut chief operating officer Chequan Lewis exits the company

The former COO announced on LinkedIn that he has left the Yum Brands company after eight years in multiple leadership positions

Joanna Fantozzi, Senior Editor

February 6, 2024

1 Min Read
Chequan Lewis Headshot
Chequan Lewis did not specify where he is going next in his career.Pizza Hut

Joanna Fantozzi

Pizza Hut chief operating officer Chequan Lewis announced on LinkedIn that he exited the Yum Brands company at the end of January, though did not announce where he is headed next.

“The last eight years I spent at Pizza Hut stretched me and strengthened me; The people that I worked alongside challenged me and championed me,” Lewis said in a post on LinkedIn announcing his job change. “I couldn’t have asked for more from a journey that took me from franchise lawyer to senior director of our non-traditional business to Chief Equity Officer to Chief Operating Officer. I found joy in working to deliver a world class guest experience. I found real value in partnering with our franchisees. And I found purpose in working to make every restaurant a pathway to greater possibility for every frontline team member.”

Lewis spent eight years at Pizza Hut, where he started off as senior counsel, and then worked his way up the ladder of the company to chief equity officer in 2020. Most recently, Lewis was promoted to chief operating officer in Jan. 2022. He was named to NRN’s Power List in 2022 for helping to expand a people-first culture at Pizza Hut.

 “Pizza Hut is an organization committed to fostering the growth and development of our unrivaled talent," a Pizza Hut spokesperson told Nation's Restaurant News. "We wish Chequan Lewis the very best in his new role. We have an unparalleled operations team in place at Pizza Hut with members who are committed to continuing to provide guests with the experience they know and love at the Hut.”  

Related:How Chequan Lewis is creating pathways to advancement at Pizza Hut

Contact Joanna at [email protected]

Read more about:

Pizza Hut Inc.Yum Brands

About the Author

Joanna Fantozzi

Senior Editor

Joanna Fantozzi is a Senior Editor for Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality. She has more than seven years of experience writing about the restaurant and hospitality industry. Her editorial coverage ranges from profiles of independent restaurants around the country to breaking news and insights into some of the biggest brands in food and beverage, including Starbucks, Domino’s, and Papa John’s.  

Joanna holds a bachelor’s degree in English literature and creative writing from The College of New Jersey and a master’s degree in arts and culture journalism from the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY. Prior to joining Informa’s Restaurants and Food Group in 2018, she was a freelance food, culture, and lifestyle writer, and has previously held editorial positions at Insider (formerly known as Business Insider) and The Daily Meal. Joanna’s work can also be found in The New York Times, Forbes, Vice, The New York Daily News, and Parents Magazine. 

Her areas of expertise include restaurant industry news, restaurant operator solutions and innovations, and political/cultural issues.

Joanna Fantozzi has been a moderator and event facilitator at both Informa’s MUFSO and Restaurants Rise industry events. 

Joanna Fantozzi’s experience:

Senior Editor, Informa Restaurant & Food Group (August 2021-present)

Associate Editor, Informa Restaurant & Food Group (July 2019-August 2021)

Assistant Editor, Informa Restaurant & Food Group (Oct. 2018-July 2019)

Freelance Food & Lifestyle Reporter (Feb. 2018-Oct. 2018)

Food & Lifestyle Reporter, Insider (June 2017-Feb. 2018)

News Editor, The Daily Meal (Jan. 2014- June 2017)

Staff Reporter, Straus News (Jan. 2013-Dec. 2013)

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