Nando’s Group Holdings, the operator of the Nando’s and Gourmet Burger Kitchen (GBK) chains, has appointed David Niven as its global chief executive, as it looks to have 1,000 restaurants operating internationally under its eponymous brand by the end of this year.
Managing director of the group’s UK and US operations since 2006, Niven will now oversee its international estate, which covers over 30 countries and includes a c.200-strong estate in Australia and a c.300-strong business in South Africa.
It is understood that the company is also exploring opportunities to take its first steps into China.
The majority of the group’s restaurants are operated under franchise apart from in South Africa, which has a 50/50 split between franchised and company-owned, and in the UK and US, which is 100% company owned.
The company currently operates 248 sites under the Nando’s brand in the UK and is on target to open its 250th outlet here in this summer.
Niven said: “The business has now grown to a reasonable size and the thinking was that we should have one team overseeing the development of the brand - both in restaurants and retail - to ensure that the Nando’s experience is not necessarily always the same but that it is always of a required standard. It also gives us an opportunity to better leverage our scale.”
It is understood that Niven’s promotion comes after company’s two controlling families, the Brozin’s and the Enthoven’s, recently revised the Nando’s structure.
This is believed to have included co-founder Robert Brozin taking a step back. He is titled as a founding director and shareholder, although can probably be considered as chairman of the global group.
System-wide sales for the company, which is backed by Capricorn Ventures and currently operates c.950 sites internationally, is estimated to reach $1.1bn this year.
Nando’s Group Holdings acquired Clapham House Group, the company behind the GBK chain in October last year for £30.4m.
It appointed Alasdair Murdoch, the former chief executive of Pizza Hut UK, as managing director of GBK at the end of last year.
The fast-casual burger brand currently operates just under 60 outlets in the UK. It also trades under franchise in a number of overseas locations including Greece, Ireland, Turkey and Dubai.
Capricorn Ventures placed the six-strong Real Greek chain, which it also acquired in the Clapham House Group deal, on the market earlier this year. Luke Johnson, the serial restaurant investor, is thought to be one of the parties in the running to acquire the business.
