Restaurants Brands New Zealand Limited (RBD) has appointed the former CEO of its New Zealand operations, Arif Khan, as the company’s global COO, effective this week.

Restaurant Brands is a corporate franchisee specialising in handling multi-site branded food retail chains. It operates KFC, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell and Carl’s Jr brands in New Zealand, the KFC and Taco Bell brands in Australia and California, and the Taco Bell and Pizza Hut brands in Hawaii and Guam.

The company describes Khan as a “strategic and commercially-focused people leader” with an extensive history in managing national and international businesses. His strong business acumen, it added, successfully steered the New Zealand operations through the Covid-19 pandemic

Khan has spent more than 25 years in the hospitality and quick-service restaurant industry across franchisor and master franchisee networks.

He also has global experience in leading growth and innovations in large businesses covering places such as Australia, New Zealand, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Pakistan, Turkey and North Africa.

Earlier in his career, he spent several years at RBD and returned to the company in 2018 as CEO to lead the New Zealand operations. Under his leadership, he helped launch Taco Bell in the country in 2019 – including opening 14 locations and the turnaround of Pizza Hut and Carl’s Jr in New Zealand.

Aside from a new global COO, RBD has appointed CPA Julio Valdes as its new CFO, effective June 1 next year. He will take over Grant Ellis, who’s stepping down on May 31.

“We wish to congratulate Arif for his promotion and are thrilled to welcome Julio to RBD,” said José Parés, chairman of the board.

 “We look forward to collaborating with them and the rest of the team as we continue on the path to consolidating our presence in the QSR market in New Zealand, Australia, California, and Hawaii.”