Swain will succeed Meg Farren, who will become president of North America at Yum! Brands’ sister company Taco Bell, when he takes up the position on 1 March.
He joins the business from KFC Global, where he has been COO since 2022. During his time there he led the transformation of KFC’s customer and employee experience strategies, integrating them into the brand’s core growth plan.
The appointment marks a return to KFC UK & Ireland for Swain, who worked there some 15 years previously.
“Rob’s 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,” says Scott Mezvinsky, CEO of KFC Global.
“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.”
Discussing his appointment, Swain says: “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.”