Industry veteran joins sandwich brand from Focus Brands to head Europe-Middle East-Africa area
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Subway has named Mike Kehoe as president of its new Europe-Middle East-Africa region, the company said Friday.
The Milford, Conn.-based sandwich brand said it has merged its Europe, Middle East and Africa regions, and Kehoe will be responsible for the continued development and expansion of the Subway brand throughout the region.
Kehoe, below, most recently served as president for international at Atlanta-based Focus Brands, owner of the Auntie Anne’s Carvel, Cinnabon, Jamba, McAlister’s Deli, Moe's Southwest Grill and Schlotzsky's brands.
“Mike’s global brand expertise and strong understanding of regional tastes will be instrumental to the continued growth of our brand footprint across Europe, the Middle East and Africa,” said John Chidsey, Subway CEO, in a statement.
The company said Kehoe’s appointment is part of an effort to streamline Subway’s international business. That included the naming Eric Foo earlier this year as president of Asia in a consolidation of Subway’s Asia and Southeast Asia regions.
Subway said Justin Goes, the current regional director in Europe, will be stepping down, but he will remain in this position until the end of July to ensure a smooth transition. Goes is also a Subway multi-unit franchise owner and will continue to operate restaurants, the company said.
Subway, which is 100% franchised, has about 42,400 restaurants in more than 100 countries. The brand ended 2018 with 24,798 U.S. restaurants, down from 27,103 in 2014, according to the Nation’s Restaurant News Top 200 census.
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