Yum! Brands appoints David Gibbs as president and chief operating officer

Gibbs has been with the company for 29 years.

Yum! Brands has announced the promotion of David Gibbs as president and chief executive officer.

In this new role, Gibbs will assume operating leadership of KFC's global division as well as the U.S. and international businesses of Pizza Hut and Taco Bell, with the respective brand leaders reporting to him.

Gibbs has served as president and chief financial officer for the last two years. He is set to retain his role while the company conducts a search to identify a successor.

"David is an extraordinarily talented commercial leader with a strong track record of results and deep experience in all three of YUM’s global brands,” Yum! Brands Chief Executive Officer Greg Creed said.

“He has been an invaluable strategic partner to me during a pivotal time for Yum! Brands, from the 2016 spinoff of the China business to driving the franchise operating, restaurant development and financial strategies that are reshaping KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell into more focused, franchised and efficient businesses."

“The transformation we started in 2016 is already making Yum! Brands a stronger company, franchisor and investment. We’ve achieved our stated goal of 98 percent of our restaurants being owned and operated by franchisees by the end of 2018, and are on track to deliver on our commitments for the transformation," Gibbs added.

Since joining in 1989, Gibbs has held a variety of leadership roles in all three of Yum's global brands, including global strategy, finance, general management, operations and real estate.