Pakistani origin Sabir Sami to head KFC's global division

• Sabir Sami is a Karachi University graduate. 
• He currently serves as KFC Division Chief Operating Officer and KFC Asia Managing Director.
• Previously, Sami served as KFC Pakistan, Middle East, Turkey, North Africa and Asia MD.

Sabir Sami, an MBA graduate from Karachi University, has been nominated as the KFC Division Chief Executive Officer of KFC by the Yum! Brands Inc, effective January 1, 2022, Business Wire reported on Wednesday.

Sami, a resident of Toronto, Canada, is currently serving as KFC Division Chief Operating Officer and KFC Asia Managing Director. He will replace Tony Lowings and will report to Yum! Brands Chief Executive Officer David Gibbs.

In his previous role with the company, the 45-year-old served as the managing director for KFC Pakistan, Middle East, Turkey, North Africa and Asia.

According to a statement released by the Yum! Brands Inc, Sami will be driving KFC’s brand strategy and performance with the new responsibility starting in January.

Business Wire quoted the Yum! Brands CEO as saying: “Sabir is an exceptional leader with deep expertise and knowledge of our business and has a strong, proven track record of growing KFC’s physical and brand presence in markets around the world.”

“As a highly-respected strategic brand builder, operations expert and heart-led leader, Sabir is a natural choice to continue successfully executing KFC’s long-term global growth strategies in close partnership with our franchisees and further elevate KFC as a relevant, easy and distinctive (R.E.D.) brand.”

Sami said that he is incredibly privileged and excited to continue working with KFC’s talented and dedicated and amazing franchise partners around the globe. He said that he looks forward to keep strengthening and accelerating the development of the “powerful, iconic brand,” which according to him is “well-loved and well-trusted”.

The publication stated that KFC Asia, managed by Sami, is a high-growth region for the brand representing 17 markets and comprising more than 15% of all KFC Division restaurants.

Sami has been instrumental in growing the business and establishing KFC as of the region’s most R.E.D brands while he served as the MD for Pakistan, Middle East, Turkey and North Africa, it added.

According to Business Wire, Sami also served as General Manager for the KFC Canada and Turkey businesses. 

Prior to joining Yum! in 2009, Sami served in various leadership roles at Procter & Gamble, the Coca-Cola Company and Reckitt Benckiser.