Yum! Brands announced today that it has named Chris Turner as its next chief executive officer, effective October 1, 2025, as the parent company of KFC, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut prepares for a leadership transition after nearly four decades under current leadership.
Turner, 50, who currently serves as the company's chief financial and franchise officer, will succeed David Gibbs, who informed the board in March of his intention to retire after 37 years with the Louisville-based restaurant giant. The board unanimously elected Turner to the role.
Turner brings extensive experience from both within and outside Yum! Brands to the position. He has served as the company's chief financial officer since 2019 and expanded his role to include chief franchise officer responsibilities in 20241. Before joining Yum!, Turner spent more than 13 years as a partner at McKinsey & Company, where he led the firm's service operations practice in North America and restaurant service line2.
He also held senior positions at PepsiCo, most recently as senior vice president and general manager of the company's global Walmart business3. Turner holds an MBA from Stanford University and a bachelor's degree in industrial engineering from the University of Arkansas2.
Turner has been instrumental in driving Yum!'s digital transformation initiatives, including the development of Byte by Yum!, the company's AI-driven restaurant technology platform that now powers digital ordering across all U.S. brands1. During his tenure as CFO, the company opened 4,535 new stores across more than 100 countries in 2024, with digital sales rising 15% to account for more than 50% of transactions2.
Gibbs, who became CEO in January 2020, will remain in the role until September 30 and serve as an adviser through the end of 20261. Under his leadership, Yum! tripled its pace of annual net new unit development and navigated the company through the COVID-19 pandemic, with digital sales surpassing $30 billion in 20241.
As CEO, Turner will focus on executing what the company calls its "Good Growth strategy," which emphasizes digital initiatives and scaling innovation across Yum!'s nearly 61,000 restaurants in more than 155 countries1.
"During my time partnering with Chris, he's demonstrated deep knowledge of our business, strong values and a clear commitment to our growth," Gibbs said in a statement1. "I can't think of a better person to guide Yum! into its next chapter."
