KFC’s parent company, Yum! Brands has appointed Chris Turner as its new CEO from 1 October 2025.
Turner will take over the role from David Gibbs, who plans to retire after a 37-year tenure with the brand. Gibbs will continue as the brand’s adviser until the end of 2026.
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Since 2019, Turner has been the chief financial officer at Yum! Brands. In 2024, his position grew to encompass the role of chief franchise officer.
His duties included overseeing finance, corporate strategy, the supply chain, maintaining franchise standards and providing support.
Turner has been pivotal in advancing the brand’s strategic initiatives, especially in the digital and technology arenas.
His leadership saw the launch of the Byte by Yum! AI-driven restaurant technology platform, and the Saucy by KFC concept.
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By GlobalDataTurner also led the creation of a global supply chain centre of excellence.
His responsibilities will include fostering the Good Growth strategy, which encompasses digital initiatives and scaling new ideas to enhance the company’s leading brands.
Turner stated: “I want to sincerely thank David Gibbs for his exceptional leadership and partnership.
“I’m excited to build on all that we’ve accomplished together alongside our talented teams and in partnership with our franchisees around the world, as we innovate, grow our brands, and continue delivering exceptional experiences for our consumers.”
Yum! Brands is headquartered in the US state of Kentucky and operates 61,000 restaurants in 155 countries under the Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, Habit Burger & Grill and KFC concepts.
For the first quarter of the fiscal year 2025, which ended 31 March, Yum! Brands reported 5% growth in its worldwide system sales, excluding the impact of foreign currency translation.
