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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
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.
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Yum! Brands
Yum! Brands
Yum! Brands, Inc., based in Louisville, Kentucky, and its subsidiaries franchise or operate a system of over 60,000 restaurants in more than 155 countries and territories under the company’s concepts – Taco Bell, KFC, Pizza Hut and Habit Burger & Grill. The Company's Taco Bell, KFC and Pizza Hut brands are global leaders of the Mexican-inspired food, chicken and pizza categories, respectively. Habit Burger & Grill is a fast casual restaurant concept specializing in made-to-order chargrilled burgers, sandwiches and more. In 2024, Yum! was named to the Dow Jones Sustainability Index North America, Newsweek’s list of America’s Most Responsible Companies, USA Today’s America’s Climate Leaders and 3BL’s list of 100 Best Corporate Citizens. In 2025, the Company was recognized among TIME magazine’s list of Best Companies for Future Leaders. In addition, Taco Bell, KFC and Pizza Hut brands were ranked in the top 25 of Entrepreneur’s Top Global Franchises Ranking for 2025, with Taco Bell securing the No. 1 spot for the fifth consecutive year.
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