Multi-brand restaurant company Inspire Brands has appointed Darin Dugan as brand president of sandwich chain Jimmy John’s.
Dugan was promoted to the new role after serving as Jimmy John’s chief marketing officer for the past six years.
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With this appointment, he becomes the third individual to lead the company since its establishment in 1983.
Inspire’s chief brand officer Scott Murphy said: “Darin has brought creativity and discipline together by modernising campaigns, elevating the menu, and launching new, brand-defining product platforms, including wraps and toasted sandwiches.
“He’s a passionate leader with a deep understanding of what makes this brand so special, and I’m excited to work with him to continue accelerating Jimmy John’s growth around the world.”
Dugan joined Inspire after the company acquired SONIC Drive-In in late 2018. At SONIC, Dugan spent more than three years as vice president of national marketing.
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By GlobalDataDugan said: “It’s an honour to step into this role with a brand that means so much to me. The commitment and energy of our team members and franchisees are remarkable, and I’m excited to continue building on the strength of this iconic brand together.”
In addition, Inspire Brands has announced the appointment of Kate Carpenter as chief marketing officer of Jimmy John’s.
Carpenter has been part of the Jimmy John’s organisation for more than two years, most recently serving as integrated marketing vice-president.
Additionally, Inspire Brands named James North as Jimmy John’s global brand ambassador.
Inspire’s co-founder and CEO Paul Brown said: “Jimmy John’s is a tremendously exciting brand that will continue to rapidly grow and deliver for guests in creative and innovative ways under this leadership team.
“These moves continue to demonstrate our deep bench of talent at Inspire that continues to promote career development across our brands.”
Inspire Brands’ portfolio includes Arby’s, Baskin-Robbins, Buffalo Wild Wings and Dunkin’, among other brands. The company acquired Jimmy John’s in October 2019.
Currently, Jimmy John’s operates more than 2,600 restaurants across six global markets.
Earlier this year, Jimmy John’s entered the Mexican market, opening three restaurants in partnership with franchisee Grupo Cever.
