Yum Brands Appoints Chris Turner as New CEO, Enhancing Collaboration and Leadership

Yum Brands Inc. has announced Chris Turner as its new CEO, effective October 1, 2025. Turner's appointment is expected to enhance collaboration between the leadership team and the Board. Turner's experience as CFO and Chief Franchise Officer positions him well to lead the company into its next growth phase. The leadership transition follows the retirement of current CEO David Gibbs, who will continue as an executive advisor through 2026.

Yum! Brands, Inc. has announced Chris Turner as its new CEO, effective October 1, 2025. Turner's appointment is expected to enhance collaboration between the leadership team and the Board. Turner's experience as CFO and Chief Franchise Officer positions him well to lead the company into its next growth phase. The leadership transition follows the retirement of current CEO David Gibbs, who will continue as an executive advisor through 2026.

Turner will replace David Gibbs, who served as CEO for 36 years and announced his intention to retire in March 2025. Gibbs will no longer be a Director of the Board but will remain as an executive advisor to the Company through 2026. Turner, who has been serving as CFO since 2019 and expanded his role to include Chief Franchise Officer in 2024, is well-positioned to lead Yum! Brands' continued success.

Yum! Brands operates a system of over 61,000 restaurants in more than 155 countries and territories under the company’s concepts – KFC, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, and Habit Burger & Grill. The company's KFC, Taco Bell, and Pizza Hut brands are global leaders in the chicken, Mexican-inspired food, and pizza categories, respectively. Habit Burger & Grill is a fast-casual restaurant concept specializing in made-to-order chargrilled burgers, sandwiches, and more.

Yum! Brands has been recognized for its sustainability efforts, being named to the Dow Jones Sustainability Index North America, Newsweek’s list of America’s Most Responsible Companies, USA Today’s America’s Climate Leaders, and 3BL’s list of 100 Best Corporate Citizens in 2024. In 2025, the Company was recognized among TIME magazine’s list of Best Companies for Future Leaders.

The appointment of Turner as CEO comes amidst a period of significant institutional investment in Yum! Brands. In the first quarter of 2025, Campbell & CO Investment Adviser LLC bought 12,868 shares of Yum! Brands' stock, valued at approximately $2,025,000. Several other hedge funds and institutional investors also increased their stakes in Yum! Brands during the same period.

References:
[1] https://www.marketbeat.com/instant-alerts/filing-campbell-co-investment-adviser-llc-makes-new-203-million-investment-in-yum-brands-inc-yum-2025-08-25/
[2] https://finance.yahoo.com/news/yum-brands-appoints-chris-turner-113000009.html