Louisville, Ky. — The board of directors of Yum! Brands, Inc. has unanimously elected Chris Turner as chief executive officer, effective October 1, 2025. Turner currently serves as chief financial & franchise officer for Yum! Brands.
He succeeds current CEO David Gibbs, who, in March 2025, informed the board of directors of his intention to retire in the next year after 37 years with the company and a successful tenure as CEO.
Turner has served as Yum! Brands’ CFO since 2019 and expanded his role to include chief franchise officer in 2024, with responsibilities for finance, corporate strategy, supply chain, franchise standards and support. In recent years, he has been instrumental in accelerating the company’s digital and technology transformation through initiatives like the establishment of Byte by Yum!, an AI-driven restaurant technology platform; launching a centralized, global Supply Chain Center of Excellence; and the creation of Saucy by KFC, a bold new restaurant concept.
Gibbs has served as Yum! Brands’ CEO since January 2020. He was instrumental in architecting and leading the company’s digital transformation and tripled the pace of Yum! Brands’ annual net new unit development, leading to nearly 61,000 restaurant units worldwide. Gibbs also successfully navigated the company through the COVID-19 pandemic and an increasingly complex operating environment, making Yum! a top performer in the restaurant industry. During Gibbs’ tenure, digital sales surpassed $30 billion in 2024, with over 50% of sales through digital channels.
Gibbs remains CEO until September 30, 2025, and will serve as an adviser to the company until the end of 2026 to ensure a seamless transition.
Turner’s career has spanned leadership roles for major global brands like PepsiCo and its sub-brands. Prior to joining Yum! Brands, Turner led PepsiCo’s retail and e-commerce business with Walmart in the U.S. and more than 25 countries, and across PepsiCo’s brands in the beverage, snack and nutrition categories.
Yum! Brands, Inc., based in Louisville, Kentucky, and its subsidiaries franchise or operate a system of nearly 61,000 restaurants in more than 155 countries and territories under the company’s concepts: KFC, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut and Habit Burger & Grill.
SOURCE: Yum! Brands, Inc.