Fri 24th Jan 2025 - Exclusive: KFC UK names Rob Swain as new boss, Meg Farren promoted to president of North America for Taco Bell Exclusive – KFC UK & Ireland names Rob Swain as new boss, Meg Farren promoted to president of North America for Taco Bell: KFC UK & Ireland has named Rob Swain as its new general manager, effective 1 March 2025, Propel has learned. Swain will replace Meg Farren, who is being promoted to president of North America for Yum! Brands’ sister brand Taco Bell. Swain joins as general manager from KFC Global, where he has served as chief operating officer since 2022. In this role, Swain has transformed the brand’s approach to managing the customer and employee experience, embedding it at the core of KFC Global’s growth strategy, and step-changed the brand’s operating capability across more than 30,000 restaurants. Swain has been with the brand for more than 15 years – starting as an area manager in 2009, before progressing to several leadership roles within the UK & Ireland and central and eastern Europe teams. While serving as chief operating officer for the UK & Ireland from 2016 to 2022, he “defined and led the strategic roadmap for operations in the market, unlocking unprecedented channel growth and building strong, lasting partnerships with franchisees”. Scott Mezvinsky, chief executive of KFC Global, said: “Rob is an exceptional business leader. His impact on the business globally has been transformative and he has a remarkable ability to inspire and galvanise people, teams and markets across the globe. As KFC in the UK & Ireland continues to thrive as the nation’s favourite fried chicken restaurant, I am confident that Rob will propel the business to new heights – championing and developing our people and delivering growth for KFC and all our stakeholders.” Swain said: “I am immensely proud to be taking on the role of general manager for the UK & Ireland business, returning to where I started my KFC journey more than 15 years ago. It is such an exciting time to be coming back to lead one of KFC’s boldest and most innovative markets as the brand continues to cement its leadership position and grow share in an increasingly dynamic market. Restaurant teams are the heart of this growth, and I am looking forward to continuing to develop this iconic brand across the UK and Ireland in this next chapter of our business.” Swain will report to Mezvinsky and will replace Farren, who has been at KFC UK & Ireland for more than a decade. Under Farren’s leadership, KFC UK & Ireland has grown to a nearly £2bn business. During her time, Farren was “instrumental in driving brand and commercial growth amidst unprecedented disruption to the category by delivering an enhanced customer experience and deploying its digital strategy to deliver market share growth”. Most recently, Farren spearheaded the acquisition of more than 200 KFC restaurants from the brand’s largest franchise partner EG in 2024. KFC operates more than 1,000 restaurants across the UK and Ireland with 27,000 team members. KFC UK features in the Propel 500 report, an unparalleled resource that profiles the UK’s leading hospitality operators ranked by turnover – which is available now. This comprehensive report provides more than 90,000 words of analysis, delving into company histories, leadership structures, site numbers and financial performance, making it an essential resource for industry professionals. A list of the operators included can be discovered now by visiting the Propel 500 page on Propel’s website. The guide is delivered in two parts: an introductory PDF, featuring deep dives into the top 25 companies and 6,500 words of insight from Propel’s expert writers, and a fully searchable Excel sheet, offering easy access to all the data. Key highlights include Mark Wingett’s exploration of mergers and acquisitions shaping the Top 500’s future, Tim Street’s view of the UK’s franchise market, and Phil Pemberton’s insights into experiential leisure as a hospitality cornerstone. Katherine Doggrell examines developments in UK hotels, while Mark Bentley, business development director at HDI, identifies emerging growth sectors, and Maria Vanifatova, founder of Meaningful Vision, analyses trends in quick service restaurants Propel 500 is available now for £595 plus VAT. Existing Premium Club members can purchase it for £395 plus VAT. Premium Club members will receive the report for free on Friday, 28 February at 9am. Order the Propel 500 report today by emailing: kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com.