Hero Brands appoints new group corporate development director

Salman Siddiqui joins after amassing a wealth of experience at leading companies

Franchise network, Hero Brands, welcomes its new group corporate development director Salman Siddiqui (pictured). The appointment comes as part of its ambitious plans to create a portfolio of cross-category, genre-defining brands of the future.

Salman brings a track record of success with experience working with world-leading brands from his time at investment firm KPMG and the Qatar Investment Authority. Some of his clients included Volkswagen, Sainsbury’s, Harrods and Miramax.

Salman’s appointment sees him join a team working with brands that are set to take the future by storm. One such brand is German Doner Kebab, which has changed the kebab world in the UK forever and now has over 700 global franchisees signed up to its ambitious expansion plans. Also included under the Hero Brands umbrella are a pair of food franchises leading the way, Island Poké and Choppaluna, the fast, fresh, food-to-go salad brand.

Salman said: “Hero Brands has an impressive and rapidly growing stable of the brands of the future, and I am looking forward to playing my part in successfully implementing the group’s innovative, cross-vertical growth plans.”

Athif Sarwar, chairman of Hero Brands, said: “It is an honour and a privilege to welcome Salman to the Hero Brands team. Salman brings to the team a wealth of international experience in investment advisory and M&A transaction roles with world-leading investment firms. His experience will be invaluable as we look to build on our tremendous growth, and work to complete a number of key acquisitions in the near future.”