Yum! Brands CEO David Gibbs, MBA ’88, spoke with Fuqua School of Business Dean Bill Boulding in a virtual interview on November 17, 2021. The talk was part of the school’s Distinguished Speakers Series.

More information about the series can be found at https://www.fuqua.duke.edu/dss

00:00 Intro
01:12 Favorite food?
01:43 Why did you choose Fuqua?
03:34 Why stayed at one company for many years
05:37 What was the toughest moment on your journey to CEO?
06:40 Decision to spin off Yum! China holdings
09:15 Refranchising to architect a "capital light" environment
12:30 Dealing with COVID pandemic
14:51 Power of strong relationships in business, during tough times.
16:30 Building a positive, "recognitionbased" culture
18:56 Starting the Unlocking Opportunity Initiative
22:59 What makes for success in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion efforts?
24:54 Handling societal issues like climate change without taking political sides
28:24 Trend of healthier foods and drinks
29:39 Popularity of chicken sandwiches
30:42 Technology
32:32 Inflation concerns, wages, and prices
35:00 Managing brands in different countries, with global scale
37:02 How to lift others up and still get recognized and promoted yourself?
39:04 Leadership ability to make people around you look good.
41:53 Getting along with difficult people
43:36 Growing comfortable with giving tough feedback
45:43 Advice to your younger self
49:41 Don't define yourself by just your job