
Yum! Brands Appoints Chris Turner as Chief Executive Officer Effective October 1, 2025
Turner, who currently serves as Chief Financial & Franchise Officer for Yum! Brands, will succeed current Chief Executive Officer David Gibbs, who, in March 2025, informed the Board of Directors of his intention to retire in the next year after 37 years with the Company and a successful tenure as CEO.
'I'm deeply honored to step into the role of CEO at Yum! Brands and incredibly grateful for the opportunity to lead this global company with such iconic brands,' said Turner. '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.'
Turner has served as Yum! Brands' Chief Financial Officer since 2019 and expanded his role to include Chief Franchise Officer in 2024, with responsibilities for finance, corporate strategy, supply chain, franchise standards and support. In recent years, he has been instrumental in driving bold actions that leverage Yum!'s scale, such as accelerating the Company's digital and technology transformation through initiatives like the establishment of Byte by Yum!, an AI-driven restaurant technology platform; launching a centralized, global Supply Chain Center of Excellence; and the creation of Saucy by KFC, a bold new restaurant concept.
He has worked closely with Gibbs and the entire Yum! Brands leadership team to drive growth through unit development, deliver strong shareholder returns and foster a people-first culture of collaboration.
'It has been the privilege of a lifetime to lead Yum! Brands and work with such passionate, talented people across our global system throughout my almost 37 years with the Company,' said Gibbs. 'I'm incredibly proud of what we've accomplished together and am confident that the best is yet to come. During my time partnering with Chris, he's demonstrated deep knowledge of our business, strong values and a clear commitment to our growth. I can't think of a better person to guide Yum! into its next chapter, and I look forward to supporting a smooth and successful transition.'
Gibbs has served as Yum! Brands' CEO since January 2020. As CEO, Gibbs was instrumental in architecting and leading the Company's digital transformation and tripled the pace of Yum! Brands' annual net new unit development, leading to nearly 61,000 restaurant units worldwide. Gibbs also successfully navigated the Company through the COVID-19 pandemic and an increasingly complex operating environment, making Yum! a top performer in the restaurant industry. During Gibbs' tenure, digital sales surpassed $30 billion in 2024, with over 50% of sales through digital channels.
Gibbs remains CEO until September 30, 2025, and will serve as an adviser to the Company until the end of 2026 to ensure a seamless transition.
'On behalf of the Board, I want to extend our deepest gratitude to David Gibbs for his outstanding visionary leadership, and the lasting impact he's made on Yum! Brands,' said Brian Cornell, Non-Executive Chairman of the Yum! Brands Board of Directors. 'David led the Company during unprecedented times all while strengthening, transforming and growing the business, with Chris as a key partner. During his tenure, Yum! delivered strong performance and advanced its growth strategy that has helped attract and retain the best talent in the industry. We are thrilled to appoint Chris as the next CEO — a proven leader with a deep understanding of the business, strategic expertise, financial acumen and unique perspectives that will help accelerate our growth. The Board is confident that Chris is the right leader to take Yum! Brands forward and accelerate the Company's momentum.'
As Yum! Brands CEO, Turner will focus on executing Yum!'s mission of growing the most loved, trusted and connected restaurant brands globally. He will be responsible for driving the Company's Good Growth strategy, which includes ongoing digital initiatives, scaling bold innovation to power the Company's iconic brands and delivering long-term results.
Turner's career has spanned leadership roles for major global brands like PepsiCo and its sub-brands. Prior to joining Yum! Brands, Turner led PepsiCo's retail and e-commerce business with Walmart in the U.S. and more than 25 countries, and across PepsiCo's brands in the beverage, snack and nutrition categories. He also spent more than 13 years with McKinsey & Co., where he served as Partner in the firm's Dallas office and led the Service Operations practice in North America, the Restaurant Service Line, the Retail Operations team and recruiting for all Southern U.S offices.
About Yum! Brands
Yum! Brands, Inc., based in Louisville, Kentucky, and its subsidiaries franchise or operate a system of nearly 61,000 restaurants in more than 155 countries and territories under the company's concepts – KFC, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut and Habit Burger & Grill. The Company's KFC, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut brands are global leaders of the chicken, Mexican-inspired food and pizza categories, respectively. Habit Burger & Grill is a fast casual restaurant concept specializing in made-to-order chargrilled burgers, sandwiches and more. In 2024, Yum! was named to the Dow Jones Sustainability Index North America, Newsweek's list of America's Most Responsible Companies, USA Today's America's Climate Leaders and 3BL's list of 100 Best Corporate Citizens. In 2025, the Company was recognized among TIME magazine's list of Best Companies for Future Leaders. In addition, KFC, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut led Entrepreneur's Top Global Franchises 2024 list and were ranked in the first 25 of Entrepreneur's 2025 Franchise 500, with Taco Bell securing the No. 1 spot in North America for the fifth consecutive year.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
C3 AI (AI) Loses 10.8% as CEO Steps Down
We recently published . Inc. (NYSE:AI) is one of the worst-performing stocks on Thursday. C3 AI snapped a two-day rally on Thursday, losing 10.84 percent to close at $26 apiece as investors repositioned portfolios following its chief executive's announcement that he was stepping down from his post. In a statement, Inc. (NYSE:AI) said that CEO Thomas Siebel has tendered his resignation due to health reasons, effective upon a successor assuming his post. 'After being diagnosed with an autoimmune disease in early 2025, I have experienced significant visual impairment,' he said. 'For C3 AI to reach its full potential—which I believe is spectacular—the board and I have initiated a search for a new CEO who can take the company to the next level of growth and success. I will remain fully engaged as Chief Executive Officer of until such time as the board appoints my successor, after which I will continue in the role of Executive Chairman, focusing on strategy, product innovation, strategic partner and customer relationships,' he noted. Meanwhile, an analyst from Wedbush said that the chief's resignation presented an opportunity for other firms to acquire Inc. (NYSE:AI). Wedbush gave Inc. (NYSE:AI) an 'outperform' rating and a price target of $35 apiece. While we acknowledge the potential of AI as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and have limited downside risk. If you are looking for an extremely cheap AI stock that is also a major beneficiary of Trump tariffs and onshoring, see our free report on the .
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Chipotle Mexican Grill (CMG) Slashes 13% on Disappointing Q2, Outlook
We recently published . Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (NYSE:CMG) is one of the worst-performing stocks on Thursday. Chipotle Mexican Grill fell by 13.34 percent on Thursday to close at $45.74 apiece as investors digested a mixed earnings performance and weak outlook for the rest of the year. In its earnings release, Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (NYSE:CMG) said net income for the second quarter of the year dropped by 4.3 percent to $436 million from $455.7 million in the same period last year. Total revenues, on the other hand, grew by 3 percent to $3.06 billion from $2.97 billion year-on-year, driven by new restaurant openings. Comparable store sales, however, decreased by 4 percent due to lower transactions. Looking ahead, the company expects same-store sales to remain flat year-on-year, but it is working on initiatives to boost performance, including improving execution, introducing new menu innovations, amplifying the rewards program, and expanding globally.3 Pixabay/Public domain Additionally, Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (NYSE:CMG) also expects between 25 and 27 percent of tax rate before discrete items for the full year. While we acknowledge the potential of CMG as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and have limited downside risk. If you are looking for an extremely cheap AI stock that is also a major beneficiary of Trump tariffs and onshoring, see our free report on the . Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Ardagh Metal (AMBP) Drops 16% as Traders Shun Q2 Earnings
We recently published . Ardagh Metal Packaging S.A. (NYSE:AMBP) is one of the worst-performing stocks on Thursday. Ardagh Metal dropped its share prices by 16.38 percent on Thursday to close at $3.88 apiece as investors did not seem impressed by its earnings performance in the second quarter of the year. In a statement, Ardagh Metal Packaging S.A. (NYSE:AMBP) said that revenues increased by 15 percent to $1.455 billion during the period from $1.259 billion in the same quarter last year. However, net income was only $5 million, albeit higher by 150 percent than the $2 million registered in the same period last year. Looking ahead, Ardagh Metal Packaging S.A. (NYSE:AMBP) is expected to post adjusted EBITDA between $705-$725 million in the full-year period, with the figure already reflecting both improved underlying performance and favorable currency movements. Pixabay/Public Domain 'Global beverage can growth continues to benefit from innovation and share gains in our customers' packaging mix, and we still anticipate only a minimal impact to our business arising from tariff measures announced,' said Ardagh Metal Packaging S.A. (NYSE:AMBP) CEO Oliver Graham. While we acknowledge the potential of AMBP as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and have limited downside risk. If you are looking for an extremely cheap AI stock that is also a major beneficiary of Trump tariffs and onshoring, see our free report on the . Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data