David Gibbs: CEO of Yum! Brands

David Gibbs has devoted more than 30 years to Yum! Brands, steadily building his career before stepping into the role of CEO in 2020. Starting out at Taco Bell, he went on to hold key positions at both KFC and Pizza Hut, gaining broad experience across the company’s three core brands. Join us as we take a closer look at his journey and how he rose to lead one of the world's largest restaurant companies.

• Starting at PepsiCo: David Gibbs began his career in 1989 at Taco Bell, which at the time was a subsidiary of PepsiCo.

• Experienced leader: Over the years, Gibbs held leadership roles across Yum! Brands’ three flagship restaurant brands: Taco Bell, KFC, and Pizza Hut.

• CEO of Yum! Brands: After more than three decades with the company, Gibbs was appointed CEO of Yum! Brands in 2020.

Born in 1963, David Gibbs grew up in the greater New York City area. After high school, he pursued a bachelor's degree in mathematical science at Johns Hopkins University, followed by an MBA from Duke University's Fuqua School of Business. He briefly enrolled in a doctoral program in finance at Stanford University but soon realized that he wanted to pursue a career outside of academia.

David Gibbs began his professional journey in 1989 at PepsiCo, joining its Taco Bell division as a real estate manager. He quickly proved his worth and rose through the ranks, eventually moving over to one of its other subsidiaries, KFC, as Vice President of Development. By 1997, he had become National Vice President of Real Estate for all of PepsiCo’s restaurant brands, which, apart from the two chains he had been with earlier, also included Pizza Hut.

That same year, PepsiCo spun off its restaurant division, forming Tricon Global Restaurants, which was later renamed Yum! Brands. In 2006, Gibbs made a pivotal move within the organization, stepping into the role of CFO at Pizza Hut. This position gave him firsthand experience with the third core brand in Yum!'s portfolio and further broadened his leadership scope.

After a few years as President and CFO of Yum! International, he continued up the group's corporate ladder, being appointed President and eventually CEO of Pizza Hut. In 2016, Gibbs returned to the parent company, taking on key executive roles, including President, CFO, and COO. During his time as CFO, he played a central role in the strategic spin-off of the company's Chinese operations, which became the independently traded Yum China.

In January 2020, after more than three decades with the company, David Gibbs reached the pinnacle of his career and was named CEO of Yum! Brands. He now leads the world’s largest restaurant group by number of locations – over 61,000 across 155 countries. This means it holds the top spot ahead of companies like McDonald's, Starbucks, and Burger King (owned by Restaurant Brands International).

One of Gibbs' most significant contributions as CEO has been driving Yum!'s digital transformation. Under his leadership, the company made a series of targeted acquisitions in areas such as order management, delivery logistics, and AI-driven consumer insights.

These efforts have come together in the creation of Byte, Yum!'s unified digital platform, which is set to power all of its brands moving forward. By bringing these capabilities in-house, Gibbs has aimed to streamline operations, cut costs, and offer a more seamless experience for both customers and franchisees.

David Gibbs has served on Yum! Brands' board of directors since 2019, alongside his role as CEO. In this role, he was involved in the acquisition of The Habit Burger Grill, which joined the company's portfolio in early 2020. The addition of the popular burger chain expanded Yum!'s reach, filling a key gap in its lineup with another alternative. The company is now leveraging the experience and playbook from its other successful brands to elevate The Habit Burger Grill to new heights:

Outside of his professional responsibilities, Gibbs has a strong interest in sports, with golf being a favorite hobby. In line with this passion, he joined the board of directors at athletic apparel brand Under Armour in 2021.

Throughout his impressive career, David Gibbs has accumulated over 35 years of experience within Yum! Brands. When he was appointed CEO in 2020, he brought with him a deep understanding of the company, built through leadership roles across all three of its major brands. Today, he leads a global restaurant group that few know better, making sure it's top of mind when our hunger strikes.