Yum! Brands has appointed Nai De Leon as Chief People & Culture Officer, effective November 1, 2026. In this expanded role, she will oversee Talent, Leadership Development, Total Rewards, Organizational Effectiveness, and People Operations across the company’s global business. She will report to Chief Executive Officer Chris Turner and serve on the Yum! Brands Global Leadership Team.
De Leon joined Yum! Brands in August 2025 as Chief Talent & Centers of Excellence Officer, where she led global People & Culture strategy, Total Rewards, Learning & Development, and Talent Acquisition Centers of Excellence. Before joining Yum! Brands, she spent 20 years at Bain & Company, advising global organizations on large-scale transformations, growth strategy, organizational performance, and change management. During her nearly decade-long advisory partnership with Yum! Brands, she worked with the company’s Global Leadership Team on strategic growth and transformation initiatives.
Why this matters: Yum! Brands’ elevation of De Leon signals a continued focus on leadership depth, organizational effectiveness, and talent systems across a global franchise business operating at significant scale. Her background at Bain & Company and prior advisory work with Yum! Brands give the company a people leader who already understands its operating model, culture, and long-term growth priorities.
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