Christopher Turner has been appointed as CEO of Yum Brands, effective October 1, and will succeed the current CEO, David Gibbs, who has spent 37 years with the company. 

Having held the position of CFO since 2019, Turner assumed his role as chief franchise officer last year and worked alongside Gibbs to enhance the company’s technology implementation and establish initiatives, including Byte by Yum and Saucy by KFC.

Prior to joining Yum Brands, he operated PepsiCo’s omnichannels of North America in partnership with Walmart, and previously partnered with McKinsey & Co to lead the service operations and restaurant service line, retail operations team, and South America’s recruitment. 

“During my time partnering with Chris, he’s demonstrated deep knowledge of our business, strong values, and a clear commitment to our growth,” said David Gibbs, Yum Brands’ current CEO.

During his upcoming tenure, Turner will continue to drive the company’s growth strategy by focusing on digital transformation and relations with international restaurant brands, while Gibbs will become the brand’s adviser until his retirement next year.