PLANO, Texas -- Pizza Hut Inc. has appointed petroleum and convenience store industry veteran Joe Kim as its chief operations officer. Kim will be responsible for all aspects of the company's operations including speed to market, management of operations and emphasis on restaurant excellence.
Prior to joining Pizza Hut, Kim spent 15 years at Valero Energy Corp., most recently serving as senior vice president of strategy and growth. In that position, Kim oversaw Valero's strategic plan and the execution of growth initiatives. Previously, he held roles in field and franchise operations, strategic planning, merchandising, development, mergers and acquisitions and investor relations.
Before joining Valero, Kim spent several years with Arthur Andersen Business Consulting.
"Joe is well suited to this new role at Pizza Hut, having extensive multi-unit operations leadership experience from consulting and the convenience store industry," said Scott Bergren, CEO and President, Pizza Hut. "His background and accomplishments have given him a uniquely broad business perspective and have left him distinctively well prepared to lead our Operations team."
Kim's drive for results, strong belief in the importance of people and passion for partnerships will enable him to lead Pizza Hut's determined pursuit of best-in-class operations, Bergren added.
"Joe's appointment as COO is a critical next step in our continued efforts to deliver operational excellence, and I'm confident that his experiences, energy and great operational instincts will enable our world-class operations platform to drive revolutionary performance and results," said Bergren.
Plano, Texas-based Pizza Hut, a subsidiary of Yum! Brands Inc., Louisville, Ky., operates more than 10,000 restaurants in more than 90 countries. Pizza Hut also operates nearly 4,000 Wingstreet restaurants.
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