Pizza Express chief executive resigns after second UK sales drop

Richard Hodgson has exited after four years in the job.

The company has suffered a like-for-like sales fall in the UK and Ireland of 0.9pc in the year to January.

Chairman Jinlong Wang will take on the chief executive role in addition to his existing responsibilities.

Wang, who is also the acting chief executive of Pizza Express China, joined the company in 2015 after having held several senior roles at Starbucks, including president and chairman for the coffee company’s Greater China region.

Wang said the company had a strategy to become a “global brand” but added the UK remained “central” to its business model as it is the foundation for development overseas. He will be based in the UK.
 

Photo credit: VINCE UK