CFO Chris Turner will succeed David Gibbs.
By Andrew Carlo
Yum! Brands, Inc., the parent company of a number of top franchise food and beverage brands, has named a new chief executive officer.
The company’s board of directors has unanimously elected Chris Turner as its next CEO, effective Oct. 1. Turner currently serves as Yum! Brands chief financial officer and succeeds current CEO David Gibbs.
In March, Gibbs informed the board that he would be retiring after 37 years with the company. Yum! Brands portfolio includes KFC, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut and Habit Burger & Grill. Based in Louisville, Kentucky, Yum! Brands and its subsidiaries franchise or operate a system of nearly 61,000 restaurants in more than 155 countries and territories.
“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 the CFO of Yum! Brands since 2019 and expanded his role to include chief franchise officer in 2024. His responsibilities have included finance, corporate strategy, supply chain, franchise standards and support.
“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. During Gibbs’ tenure, digital sales surpassed $30 billion in 2024, with over 50% of sales through digital channels. He will serve as an adviser to the company until the end of 2026.
“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.”
Turner previously served in leadership roles at 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.
“The board is confident that Chris is the right leader to take Yum! Brands forward and accelerate the Company’s momentum,” Cornell said.
