Dive Brief:
- Krispy Kreme has promoted at least four executives to new positions within its Global Leadership Team, the company said Thursday in a press release.
- Nicola Steele, current president of Krispy Kreme Australia & New Zealand, has been named chief operating officer, effective March 3. Dave Skena, EVP and global chief brand officer, has been appointed chief growth officer while Raphael Duvivier, previously chief development officer, became president of international, both effective Jan. 6. Alison Holder, vice president of innovation and insights, was also promoted to chief product officer, effective Monday.
- The promotions come roughly a year after the doughnut chain appointed Josh Charlesworth as CEO at the start of 2024, following the departure of Michael Tattersfield.
Dive Insight:
Krispy Kreme is rapidly expanding its reach domestically and globally, and the new appointments will support the chain’s plans for profitable expansion in the U.S. and its adoption of a capital-light franchise model in international markets.
In the U.S., the company partnered with McDonald’s to serve its doughnuts across the fast food chain’s 12,000 restaurants by 2026. The partnership began in 2023 with a test at 160 locations in Kentucky. Krispy Kreme has also been building more production hubs in the U.S. to support the expansion into McDonald’s.
The new Global Leadership Team executives have decades of combined experience at Krispy Kreme. Steel has been with the company for over 15 years and will be responsible for “global operations excellence including modernizing doughnut production and maximizing hub-and-spoke efficiency,” according to the press release.
Skena has been with the company for over six years and previously worked at Ruby Tuesday, PepsiCo and Kraft Foods, according to his LinkedIn profile. His new position will have him working on omnichannel growth of Krispy Kreme’s retail shops, Delivered Fresh Daily and digital sales channels globally. He will also manage global marketing efforts.
Duvivier will be responsible for international and market development segments alongside the adoption of the capital-light franchise model in areas like Europe and Latin America. He has worked at Krispy Kreme since 2019 after holding positions at Burger King, Restaurant Brands International and Burger Brands Belgium, according to his LinkedIn profile.
In her new role, Holder, who has been at Krispy Kreme for 25 years, will work on bringing doughnuts to Krispy Kreme customers around the world in addition to focusing on global quality and sourcing.
