Pizza Hut has appointed Kalen Thornton as its global chief brand officer. Thornton will join the company, reporting to Pizza Hut Division Chief Executive Officer, Aaron Powell, effective June 10.
Taking on this position, Thornton will spearhead Pizza Hut’s worldwide brand strategy, directing marketing efforts across 110 markets and territories. Additionally, Thornton will steer the brand towards a fresh era of significance, leveraging strategic and compelling customer engagements both offline and online. This entails ensuring Pizza Hut’s enduring status as a cultural emblem remains intact.
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In his previous role, Thornton served as vice president of sports and entertainment marketing at PepsiCo North America. Leading partnerships and fostering brand affinity across sports and entertainment properties, he utilized media, content, and activation investments to drive growth for the beverage portfolio. Within PepsiCo, Thornton also assumed the role of Chief Marketing Officer of Gatorade. Prior to his tenure in the beverage industry, Thornton held various marketing leadership positions at the Nike and Jordan brands over nearly ten years, where he played a key role in implementing transformative brand initiatives.
“He is an innovator and an established leader who knows exactly how to deliver memorable moments for customers,” Powell stated. “Kaleen is the ideal leader to help us connect with a new generation through a shared love of pizza, as she has a proven track record of building renowned international businesses. His joining our team to help us advance Pizza Hut makes me very happy.”
“I strongly believe that ingenuity community, as well as culture are strong catalysts for bringing people together,” Thornton stated. The opportunity to contribute to Pizza Hut’s illustrious history as a company that transcends boundaries fills me with great pride. I’m excited to contribute to the legendary brand’s continued relevance and growth.”
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