Pizza Hut’s new Korea operator taps female CEO to rebuild struggling brand

Pizza Hut’s new operator in Korea is betting that a veteran field executive with decades of restaurant experience can revive one of the country’s most recognizable pizza chains after years of financial turmoil and franchisee strain. PH Korea said Wednesday that it had nominated Kim Jung-eun, a former executive vice president overseeing sales operations at Pizza Hut Korea, as its first CEO ahead of the company’s official launch on Sunday. PH Korea was jointly established by Wintergold and K-Clavis Investment Management to operate the Pizza Hut franchise business in Korea. The company said Kim’s appointment reflected a strategy centered on rebuilding trust with franchise owners and restoring the brand’s competitiveness in the crowded food delivery and dining market. Kim has spent 23 years in the food and beverage industry, including at Outback Steakhouse Korea, where she built a reputation as an operations specialist with extensive frontline experience. She began her career managing restaurant operations before moving into broader leadership roles overseeing sales and new business

Original source: Korea Times