Yum! Brands appoints Nai De Leon as Chief People & Culture Officer

Yum! Brands has appointed Nai De Leon as its Chief People & Culture Officer, effective November 1, 2026, as the global restaurant company looks to further strengthen its leadership pipeline, talent strategy and organisational capabilities.

De Leon will oversee Yum!'s global People & Culture strategy, including Talent, Leadership Development, Total Rewards, Organisational Effectiveness and People Operations. She will report to Chief Executive Officer Chris Turner and join the Yum! Brands Global Leadership Team.

De Leon joined Yum! Brands in August 2025 as Chief Talent & Centers of Excellence Officer, where she led the company's global People & Culture strategy and oversaw its Total Rewards, Learning & Development and Talent Acquisition Centres of Excellence. 

Prior to joining the company, she spent two decades at Bain & Company, advising global organisations on business transformation, organisational performance, growth strategy and leadership development.

Her appointment builds on a long-standing relationship with Yum!, having served as a strategic adviser to the company for nearly a decade before joining its executive team.

"Nai is an exceptional leader with deep expertise in talent, organisational transformation and leadership development, and she has already made an impact on our business since joining Yum!," said Chris Turner, Chief Executive Officer of Yum! Brands.

"Working closely with Tracy and our People and Culture Leadership Team, she has strengthened our talent strategy and built the capabilities that will help us Raise the B.A.R. and power Yum!'s next chapter of growth. Her proven ability to develop leaders, shape culture and drive transformation makes her the ideal person to lead our global People & Culture organisation."

De Leon succeeds Tracy Skeans, who recently announced her retirement after more than 25 years with the company, most recently serving as Chief Operating Officer and Chief People & Culture Officer.

Commenting on her appointment, De Leon said, "I am honored to have the opportunity to serve as Yum!'s Chief People & Culture Officer. Our people and culture are a tremendous competitive advantage, and I'm excited to build on the strong foundation Tracy and our team have established."

"I look forward to continuing to develop exceptional leaders, strengthen our culture and help our teams around the world unlock their full potential."