Nai De Leon named chief people & culture officer of Yum Brands
She joined the company in August 2025 as chief talent and centers of excellence officer.
July 21, 2026
Nai De Leon has been named chief people and culture officer of Yum Brands, parent company of Taco Bell, KFC, Pizza Hut, and Habit Burger & Grill. She will oversee talent, leadership development, total rewards, organizational effectiveness, and people operations across the company’s global system, which includes 63,000 restaurants in 155 markets. She will report to CEO Chris Turner, who took on his role last year following the retirement of David Gibbs.
De Leon joined Yum in August 2025 as chief talent and centers of excellence officer, leading the company's people and culture strategy, as well as the Total Rewards, Learning & Development and Talent Acquisition Centers of Excellence.
Nai succeeds Tracy Skeans, who recently announced her plans to retire after more than 25 years at Yum, most recently serving as chief operating officer and chief people & culture officer.
"Nai is an exceptional leader with deep expertise in talent, organizational transformation and leadership development, and she has already made an impact on our business since joining Yum," Turner said in a statement. "Working closely with Tracy and our People and Culture Leadership Team, she has strengthened our talent strategy and built the capabilities that will help us Raise the B.A.R. and power Yum’s next chapter of growth. Her proven ability to develop leaders, shape culture and drive transformation makes her the ideal person to lead our global People & Culture organization."
Prior to joining Yum, De Leon spent 20 years with Bain & Company, where she advised global organizations on large-scale transformations, growth strategy, organizational performance, and change management. She also led many of Bain's recruiting and leadership development initiatives and spent nearly a decade as an adviser to Yum, working on strategic growth and transformation initiatives.
"I am honored to have the opportunity to serve as Yum's Chief People & Culture Officer," De Leon said in a statement. "Our people and culture are a tremendous competitive advantage, and I'm excited to build on the strong foundation Tracy and our team have established. I look forward to continuing to develop exceptional leaders, strengthen our culture and help our teams around the world unlock their full potential."
Skeans’ responsibilities will also transition to a chief scale officer, who is yet to be determined. Skeans will assist in the transition in her advisory role through early 2028.
Contact Alicia Kelso at [email protected]
Follow her on TikTok: @aliciakelso
About the Author
Alicia Kelso
Executive Editor, Nation's Restaurant News
Alicia Kelso is the executive editor of Nation's Restaurant News. She began covering the restaurant industry in 2010 for QSRweb.com, FastCasual.com, and PizzaMarketplace.com. When her son was born, she left the industry to pursue a role in higher education, but swiftly returned after realizing how much she missed the space. In filling that void, Alicia added a contributor role at Restaurant Dive and a senior contributor role at Forbes.
Her work has appeared in publications around the world, including Forbes Asia, NPR, Bloomberg, The Seattle Times, Crain's Chicago, Good Morning America, and Franchise Asia Magazine.
Alicia holds a degree in journalism from Bowling Green State University, where she competed on the women's swim team. In addition to cheering for the BGSU Falcons, Alicia is a rabid Michigan fan and will talk about college football with anyone willing to engage. She lives in Louisville, Kentucky, with her wife and son.
Follow her on TikTok @aliciakelso
Content Spotlight
The Technomic Top 500: Another tough year for chain restaurants
Top 500 chain restaurant sales slowed again in 2025 as consumers cut back on dining, but sectors like coffee, beverages and snacks and chicken thrived
Featured
Jul 16, 2026
Jul 8, 2026
Recent News
Content Spotlight
Get to know Rick Cardenas, the Darden CEO who started there as a busser
The executive shares his advice, along with his most-binged TV show, favorite sports team, and most-used app
Source: This story originated with Nation's Restaurant News.
View Original Article →