Get the latest delivered to your inbox
Privacy Policy

Now Reading

Why Taco Bell’s New Boss Says He’s ‘Not the Dictionary Definition of a CEO’

Taco Bell continues its reign atop the Franchise 500 under innovative leadership that defies traditional norms, paving the way for a new era in fast food excellence

Why Taco Bell’s New Boss Says He’s ‘Not the Dictionary Definition of a CEO’

Taco Bell continues its reign atop the Franchise 500 under innovative leadership that defies traditional norms, paving the way for a new era in fast food excellence

Published 01-22-24

Submitted by Yum! Brands

Sean Tresvant sat on a stool
Image courtesy of Entrepreneur

By Jason Feifer

Originally published by Jason Feifer on Entrepreneur

Everyone knows Taco Bell. But not everyone knows Sean Tresvant, who took over as CEO at the beginning of this year. And Tresvant likes it that way.

"I've never been one who does it for the limelight," says Tresvant. He doesn't go on TV to pontificate, and generally prefers that colleagues be interviewed instead of him. "I'm probably the most introverted extrovert. I always tell people it's not about me. It's about the team. I don't need to get my bars up."

Instead, Tresvant has spent his career raising the bar for great brands — spending time at Sports Illustrated and PepsiCo, rising to CMO for Nike's Jordan brand, and then joining Taco Bell in 2022 as its global chief brand officer. Now he's succeeding former Taco Bell CEO Mark King, who retired at the end of 2023, which means Tresvant is stepping into the hottest seat in the hottest brand in franchising, where attention will be hard to escape. But he knows his No. 1 mission: "My job, and our job as the Taco Bell team, is to keep this brand hot," says Tresvant.

Continue reading here

Taco Bell restaurant exterior
Image courtesy of Entrepreneur

 

Taco Bell restaurant exterior
Image courtesy of Entrepreneur

 

Yum! Brands Logo

Yum! Brands

Yum! Brands

Yum! Brands, Inc., based in Louisville, Kentucky, has over 54,000 restaurants in more than 155 countries and territories, operating the Company’s brands – KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell – global leaders of the chicken, pizza and Mexican-style food categories. The Company’s family of brands also includes The Habit Burger Grill, a fast-casual restaurant concept specializing in made-to-order chargrilled burgers, sandwiches and more. Yum! Brands was named to the 2021 Dow Jones Sustainability Index North America and was ranked on Newsweek’s list of 2021 America’s Most Responsible Companies. In 2022, Yum! Brands was named to 3BL Media’s 100 Best Corporate Citizens.

More from Yum! Brands

Join today and get the latest delivered to your inbox