Louisville, Ky. — Yum! Brands, Inc. has hired Clay Johnson as the company’s chief digital and technology officer, and has promoted Gavin Felder to chief strategy officer. These newly created positions will partner with the global brand divisions to elevate the customer experience and accelerate global growth. Both Johnson and Felder will report to Yum! CFO Chris Turner.
Johnson will join the Yum! Brands Global Leadership Team and oversee the company’s global technology strategy, partnering with the KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell divisions to ensure the company provides a best-in-class digital journey across mobile, online, delivery and restaurant operations. Previously, Johnson served as executive vice president and enterprise chief information officer for Walmart, and brings more than 20 years of technology leadership across FORTUNE 50 companies and industries. His appointment is effective October 15, 2019.
As chief strategy officer, Felder will work closely with Johnson to integrate technology-centric solutions across store operations, including the restaurant automation strategy, to elevate the customer and team member experience. Felder has served as KFC Division chief financial officer for the last 5 years, overseeing strategy, digital and technology, financial planning, supply chain and IT security for the KFC business spanning over 23,000 restaurants across 135 countries. He will retain his current KFC Division CFO role, title and responsibilities through the end of 2019 while the company conducts a search to identify a successor. His appointment is effective December 1, 2019.
“Clay’s insights into developing connected digital commerce capabilities and integrated enterprise solutions will be invaluable as we strengthen our business model with technology at the forefront. Gavin is a successful digital leader and proven growth strategist at KFC, our largest and most profitable global brand division,” says David Gibbs, Yum! Brands president and chief operating officer and the company’s incoming chief executive officer, effective January 1, 2020. “I look forward to Gavin, Clay and their teams collaborating to ensure our technology efforts support and are aligned with the technological innovation happening in our restaurants.”
Yum! Brands, Inc., based in Louisville, Ky., has over 48,000 restaurants in more than 145 countries and territories primarily operating the company’s restaurant brands — KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell — global leaders of the chicken, pizza and Mexican-style food categories.
SOURCE: Yum! Brands, Inc.