Yum! Brands CEO David Gibbs to Retire in 2026; Succession Planning Underway

Yum! Brands (NYSE: YUM) has announced that Chief Executive Officer David Gibbs will retire in the first quarter of 2026, concluding a distinguished 36-year career with the company. The Board of Directors has launched a succession planning process to identify the next CEO, with Gibbs continuing to lead during the transition.

Gibbs, who became CEO in January 2020, guided the company through a digital transformation and navigated it through the COVID-19 pandemic. Under his leadership, Yum! Brands accelerated restaurant development, tripled annual net new unit growth, and surpassed $30 billion in digital sales in 2024, with more than half of all transactions conducted through digital channels.

Non-Executive Chairman Brian Cornell praised Gibbs’ legacy, noting his transformative impact on the company and his role in strengthening the company’s iconic brands—KFC, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, and Habit Burger Grill.

Yum! Brands operates over 61,000 restaurants in more than 155 countries and territories and continues to rank highly across sustainability, innovation, and franchise leadership rankings.

The next CEO is expected to be appointed with ample time to ensure a seamless transition. Gibbs reaffirmed his commitment to supporting the process and delivering on the company’s strategic growth objectives in the meantime.