KFC UK & Ireland has appointed Monica Pool as chief marketing officer.

Pool will join the KFC team from her role as marketing director at Taco Bell. She will take over from Jenny Packwood – KFC’s chief corporate affairs & sustainability officer – who has been interim CMO since the departure of Jack Hinchcliffe earlier this year.

Pool began working with KFC South Africa in 2009, where she helped drive step-change advertising through creative work.

In 2012, she joined KFC UK&I’s marketing team in Innovation, before being promoted to marketing director. Her tenure helped strengthen brand transformation and shape the creative vision for the UK&I business.

Having joined Taco Bell in 2020, Pool grew the brand health of the business, increasing media and marketing effectiveness to bolster sales while dealing with a range of issues facing the QSR sector.

She has also championed the franchisee model, working collaboratively with business owners to help grow and support their businesses.

She will rejoin KFC UK&I in early 2023.

Speaking of her appointment, Pool said: “I’m honoured to be rejoining KFC UK&I to partner with our incredible teams, franchisees and restaurant leaders. It’s an exciting time as we continue our journey to evolve the brand experience to deliver industry-leading results, all while making a positive impact on the communities we serve. KFC has always been a great brand and will continue to be. We’re lucky to have a brilliant team of fun, passionate, smart marketers who have delivered some truly powerful and award-winning work in recent years. I’m excited to help continue the legacy of this iconic brand alongside its inspiring people.”

Meghan Farren, general manager at KFC UK&I, said: “The entire KFC team in the UK & Ireland are thrilled to announce Monica’s appointment as our new CMO. A hugely talented marketer with a wealth of experience in our business, she’s the perfect person to lead our brand and marketing function. She’s an inspiring leader and a passionate and purposeful developer of people and teams. Monica’s energy, positivity and creativity will be hugely valuable in today’s challenging operating environment. I am excited to partner with her as we lead KFC through its next chapter, and I have no doubt that she will drive positive change across the business on her return.”

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