Louisville, Ky. — With the recently announced departure of CEO Brian Niccol, who is leaving Taco Bell to join Chipotle, Julie Felss Masino, president of Taco Bell North America, and Liz Williams, president of Taco Bell International, will assume leadership of the Taco Bell division in their respective roles, reporting to Yum! Brands CEO Greg Creed.
“I want to thank Brian for his leadership and focus on always keeping Taco Bell culturally relevant, innovative and accessible for customers,” says Creed. “As Brian moves on, we’re grateful he has built a world-class leadership team. I’m confident that Julie, an accomplished brand builder and restaurant industry executive, and Liz, a strong brand veteran, are well positioned to ensure a seamless transition and will continue to elevate Taco Bell into a distinctive, relevant and easy brand. As we look ahead, I couldn’t be more excited about the strength of Taco Bell as the brand continues its journey to become a $15 billion company with 9,000 restaurants globally by 2022.”
Niccol served as CEO of Taco Bell for 3 years.
Masino joined Taco Bell in January 2018 and is responsible for ensuring the brand continues to deliver same-store sales growth by driving innovation, new store development and a frictionless customer experience through digital and technology initiatives. She will also continue the brand’s strong partnership with its franchisees to deliver world-class operations. Masino joined Taco Bell from Mattel and, prior to that, has extensive experience in the restaurant industry including Starbucks and Sprinkles Cupcakes.
As president of Taco Bell International, Williams is responsible for the brand strategy and performance of the international business. Prior to this role, Williams was the Taco Bell CFO, where the brand delivered 6 years of industry-leading sales, profit and brand growth under her financial leadership. Before joining Taco Bell, Williams spent 6 years with The Boston Consulting Group (BCG).
Taco Bell Corp., a subsidiary of Yum! Brands, Inc., is the nation’s leading Mexican-inspired quick-service restaurant (QSR) brand. Globally, Taco Bell has nearly 7,000 restaurants, including more than 400 restaurants outside the U.S.
Yum! Brands, Inc., based in Louisville, Ky., has over 45,000 restaurants in more than 135 countries and territories. The company’s restaurant brands — KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell — are global leaders of the chicken, pizza and Mexican-style food categories.
SOURCE: Yum! Brands