Posted:24-January-2025
KFC UK & Ireland names new General Manager
KFC UK & Ireland has today named Rob Swain as the new General Manager for the UK & Ireland business, effective 1 March 2025, replacing Meg Farren, who is being promoted to President of North America for Yum! Brands’ sister brand Taco Bell.
Swain joins as General Manager from KFC Global, where he has served as Chief Operating Officer since 2022. In this role, Swain has transformed the brand’s approach to managing the customer and employee experience, embedding it at the core of KFC Global’s growth strategy, and step-changed the brand’s operating capability across more than 30,000 restaurants.
A KFC veteran, Swain has been with the brand for more than 15 years – starting as an Area Manager in 2009, before progressing to several leadership roles within the UK&I and Central & Eastern Europe teams. While serving as Chief Operating Officer for the UK&I from 2016 to 2022, he defined and led the strategic roadmap for Operations in the market, unlocking unprecedented channel growth and building strong, lasting partnerships with franchisees. Swain proved himself as a strong people leader and trusted advisor to KFC’s franchise partners, nurturing talent and unlocking potential throughout multiple growth phases.
Commenting on the appointment, Scott Mezvinsky, Chief Executive Officer, KFC Global, said: “Rob is an exceptional business leader. His impact on the business globally has been transformative and he has a remarkable ability to inspire and galvanise people, teams and markets across the globe. As KFC in the UK&I continues to thrive as the nation’s favourite fried chicken restaurant, I am confident that Rob will propel the business to new heights – championing and developing our people and delivering growth for KFC and all our stakeholders.”
Rob Swain, General Manager, KFC UK&I said: “I am immensely proud to be taking on the role of General Manager for the UK & Ireland business, returning to where I started my KFC journey over 15 years ago. It is such an exciting time to be coming back to lead one of KFC’s boldest and most innovative markets as the brand continues to cement its leadership position and grow share in an increasingly dynamic market. Restaurant teams are the heart of this growth, and I am looking forward to continuing to develop this iconic brand across the UK and Ireland in this next chapter of our business.”
Swain will report to incoming Chief Executive Officer of KFC Global Scott Mezvinsky and will replace Farren, who has been at KFC UK&I for more than a decade.
Under Farren’s leadership, KFC UK&I has grown to a nearly £2bn business, cementing the compelling leadership position that KFC has built across a large and growing UK and Ireland chicken market. During her time, Farren was instrumental in driving brand and commercial growth amidst unprecedented disruption to the category by delivering an enhanced customer experience and deploying its digital strategy to deliver market share growth. Most recently, Farren spearheaded the acquisition of more than 200 KFC restaurants from the brand’s largest franchise partner EG in 2024.
Mezvinsky added: “I want to thank Meg for all she has done to build KFC into a powerhouse brand in the UK & Ireland and globally, and I am pleased that she will be taking on a bigger role within the Yum! family.”
Swain’s appointment comes with further UK&I leadership changes, with the promotion of Chief Development Officer James Whitehorn to a newly created role, Chief Development and Financial Officer, overseeing both functions. Whitehorn has held several senior financial roles within KFC, including Head of Finance at KFC Germany and Commercial Director for KFC UK&I. Whitehorn replaces outgoing Chief Financial Officer Matt McCormick.
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