Game-Changing Move: KFC UK Enlists Top Taco Bell Marketing Director as CMO

Monica Pool has been appointed the new Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) of KFC UK and Ireland, filling the position left vacant by former marketing lead Jack Hinchliffe, who departed six months ago. Pool previously served as the UK and Europe marketing director at Taco Bell, another brand under the broader Yum! Brands company, a role she held since December 2020.

Having initially joined in 2009 as a marketing manager in South Africa, this is her second time working at KFC. She later went on to work in various roles across the central and eastern European regions at the chain. In 2015, she was promoted to become KFC's marketing director for the UK and Ireland, and in 2019, she was further promoted to director of people transformation.

KFC praises Pool's time as marketing director, crediting her with significantly influencing the brand's "creative vision" and contributing to its transformation. Yum! highlights that during her tenure at Taco Bell, her leadership played a crucial role in enhancing brand health and improving media and marketing effectiveness.

Pool will be returning to KFC UK and Ireland as the Chief Marketing Officer in early autumn. After Hinchliffe left to become the CMO of Habit Burger Grill, Jenny Packwood, the chief corporate affairs and sustainability officer, temporarily took over the marketing leadership at KFC. In her new position as the CMO for KFC in the UK and Ireland, Pool will report to Meghan Farren, who also held the CMO role in the past and returned to the business as the general manager in June of last year, following her role as the chief customer officer at Asda.

Farren enthusiastically regards Pool as the ideal individual to spearhead KFC's brand and marketing operations.

"She is a motivating leader and an enthusiastic advocate for the growth and development of individuals and teams," Farren affirms. "Monica's boundless energy, positive attitude, and creative approach will be immensely beneficial in the current, demanding business landscape."

During a previous interview with Our Website, Farren expressed her role as general manager, which involves empowering the marketing team and granting them a certain level of autonomy. She emphasized that there are still excellent opportunities for KFC, particularly in areas such as enhancing customer experience and making a difference in the communities they operate in.

Pool shares the same sentiments, stating that it is an exhilarating period as they strive to enhance the brand experience and achieve outstanding outcomes, all while positively impacting the communities they serve. She expresses her gratitude for the opportunity to take on this role.

She has spent almost 15 years at Yum! Brands, prior to which she worked in marketing at FMCG businesses in South Africa and was an account director at The Hardy Boys Advertising Agency.