Mon 28th Oct 2019 - Forrester to step down as TGI Friday’s UK chief executive Forrester to step down as TGI Friday’s UK chief executive: TGI Friday’s UK has announced chief executive Karen Forrester is stepping down after 12 years in the role. Forrester will leave the business on Friday, 13 December. The new chief executive will be Robert Cook, who joins the business on Monday, 2 December from Virgin Active, where he is UK chief executive. Cook has experience in driving growth and performance improvement in multi-site branded leisure, food and beverage groups having previously held senior leadership roles in Hotel-du-Vin, Malmaison, De Vere and McDonald Hotels. Forrester said: “It has been an unbelievable honour and privilege to have led the magnificent TGI Friday’s UK family over the past 12 years. It was an incredibly hard decision to hang up my stripes but I’m excited to hand over to Robert Cook, who will steer the company on the next stage of its epic journey. There are so many things about my journey I’m proud of including winning back our stripes, getting into the Guinness World Records and topping The Sunday Times list as the best big company to work for in 2015. I’m leaving a business that’s strong and healthy. In the past few years we’ve opened a raft of restaurants, welcomed thousands more Friday family members (employees) and served millions of satisfied guests. This year profits and sales have grown and led to some brilliant guest experience scores. I would like to thank every family member who has helped to make it the brilliant company it is today and want to wish Robert every success as he takes the helm. I look forward to the team creating new milestones, breaking new records, winning new awards and going from strength to strength as it enters this exciting next phase.” TGI Friday’s operates 87 sites in the UK.