German Doner Kebab (GDK) has appointed Jim Slater as chair and non-executive director to accelerate its UK and international growth strategy.
Slater most recently held the position of chief international officer at Chipotle Mexican Grill, with the business having grown to more than 3,500 restaurants during his tenure.
Prior to this, Slater held the role of UK and Ireland MD at Costa Coffee, where he supported the coffee brand’s growth into more than 30 markets worldwide.
He joins as the QSR brand, which operates in more than 180 locations across the UK, Ireland, Sweden, North America and the Middle East, pushes ahead with plans to expand further into India and Uzbekistan this year.
“I am delighted to be joining Simon [Wallis, CEO] and the team at GDK,” said Slater. “GDK has been a standout success story in UK hospitality and I look forward to helping the team drive further sustainable growth both in the UK and internationally in collaboration with our franchisees.”
GDK CEO Simon Wallis added: “I am thrilled that Jim is joining GDK and look forward to drawing upon his considerable experience.
“It has been clear from day one that Jim shares our values and our vision for the business and I am looking forward to working alongside him in the coming years.”
It follows the appointment of Chris Waters as chief marketing officer in September. He joined the fast-casual kebab brand from JD Sports, where he was brand marketing director for the UK and Europe for two-and-a-half years.
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