MIAMI -- Burger King Corp. recently announced changes to the company's global brand management and operations function, as well as to its North America marketing structure. Effective immediately, it has aligned the company's global brand marketing and global operations teams to create a single global brand marketing and operations function.
Additionally, Burger King has aligned its North American marketing efforts with the region's operations function; a structure consistent with the marketing model that the company uses in all of the global regions in which the Burger King [image-nocss] brand operates. This approach enables faster decision-making; increases regional accountability and ensures consistency of the brand's marketing and operational standards around the world.
As a result of this realignment, the following company executives will assume roles of expanded responsibility:
Jonathan Fitzpatrick, formerly executive vice president of global operations, has assumed the newly created role of executive vice president of chief brand and operations officer overseeing all operations and marketing brand standards; global research and development, product innovation and global brand management.
Steve Wiborg, executive vice president and president for North America, has taken on an expanded role that includes direct responsibility for all North America marketing efforts.
"Our new marketing and operations alignment under Jonathan's global leadership and Steve's North America leadership will allow us to maintain our global standards, while providing us with the flexibility we need to execute initiatives on a regional level based on local business needs," said Bernardo Hees, CEO of Burger King Corp. "With this new structure in place, we can be more nimble with our decision-making process and marketing execution, which will better resonate with the millions of guests around the world who enjoy the Burger King brand every day."
As a result of these structural changes, global chief marketing officer Natalia Franco will be leaving the organization. Franco will support Burger King through a transition period.
"During her tenure at Burger King, Natalia has made important contributions to the brand; building the foundation for us to deliver strong marketing messages and executions that will resonate with our consumers long-term," said Hees.
The Burger King system operates more than 12,200 restaurants in all 50 states and in 76 countries and U.S. territories worldwide. Approximately 90% of Burger King restaurants are owned and operated by independent franchisees, many of them family-owned operations that have been in business for decades.
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