KFC UK & Ireland has announced that Kate Wall, currently serving as strategy and innovation director, will assume the position of marketing director starting from December 1, 2023.

With nearly five years of experience within the company, Kate initially joined KFC UK and Ireland as head of advertising & retail in 2019 and was later promoted to strategy and innovation director in 2021. During her tenure, Kate played a key role in refining KFC’s customer value proposition for growth and spearheaded a consumer-centric three-year innovation pipeline, addressing new growth opportunities such as Lunch. She also led the launch of notable products like The Stuffing Stacker Burger and the Irish Chicken Fillet Roll Mor, as well as overseeing the revamp of the controversial Fries.

Kate’s appointment contributes to KFC’s robust female leadership team, working alongside the recently appointed chief marketing officer, Monica Pool, who rejoined the brand earlier.

In her new position, Kate will guide the function through its upcoming phase, collaborating with a cross-functional team spanning Brand, Media, Loyalty, Social, Consumer PR, CRM, and Marketing Operations, overseeing KFC’s extensive network of 1000+ restaurants and 30,000+ team members.

Kate and her team will manage all consumer-facing aspects of the KFC Brand, shaping its strategic direction and distinctive tone of voice. Leveraging her exceptional commercial marketing skills, Kate aims to enhance the focus on driving sales, transactions, and overall growth.

Complementing Kate’s recent role is her ongoing commitment to excellence as a Marketing Academy Scholar. Prior to joining KFC, she spent eight years at Mondelēz International, where she played a pivotal role in product innovation at Cadbury, introducing Oreo and Daim into bars. Her contributions also extended to the significant repositioning of Cadbury Dairy Milk.

Speaking of her appointment, Kate Wall, marketing director at KFC UK&I said, “Stepping into the role of Marketing Director at KFC UK&I is such an honour; it’s my dream job. I am deeply passionate about this brand and am excited to push this amazing business forward; ensuring KFC is rooted at the heart of British and Irish culture, through driving relevance, building on our successes, and bringing new experiences to our loyal fans and new customers alike. We have the most brilliant team of marketers – full of bold creativity and explosive insights – alongside dedicated agency partners, and I am confident that together, we will launch our much-loved brand into its defining next chapter.”