Popeyes UK announces senior leadership team

The US-based chicken brand is laying the groundwork for its UK expansion

Popeyes UK has announced a slew of new hires as the organisation builds its leadership team.

Tom Crowley was announced as CEO of Popeyes UK back in April 2021 and will lead the expert team comprising Tom Byng, CDO, David Carey, CTO, and Neil Williamson, COO. Collectively, the group has over 100 years of collective F&B experience.

“I’m incredibly proud to reveal this team of talented people who will lead Popeyes UK as we land with a bang in the UK market. The buzz around our arrival is the envy of every restaurant business, and our proposition is unlike anything else on offer here currently. We’ve assembled exactly the right blend of progressive, forward-thinking minds to bring it to life in a way which will be completely unique for UK guests,” said Crowley.

“We’re keen to leave a lasting legacy in the UK communities we’ll be situated in, through an emphasis on responsible, sustainable practices and jobs creation – spanning critical operational roles in construction, supply chain, and distribution, as well as providing a direct boost to the UK hospitality sector by hiring talent to prepare and serve our world-famous products.”

Tom Byng, the new chief development officer, joins Popeyes UK from Fulham Shore, owner of Franco Manca and The Real Greek, where he grew the group’s footprint to over 70 sites nationwide in five years. He also played a key role in the expansion of Itsu in the UK, where he departed as director of acquisitions and estate management.

David Carey, chief technology officer, is formerly of The Restaurant Group, where, as digital director, he was responsible for brands including Wagamama, Frankie & Benny’s, and Chiquito. He will lead on all restaurant and consumer tech, building systems to simplify operations, enable frictionless guest experiences and understand and analyze guest data.

Neil Williamson, finally, joins as chief operating officer – a role he previously held at Farmstand. Prior to that, he held senior operations roles within Krispy Kreme UK and McDonald’s Restaurants. Neil will have overall responsibility for the operations and people team, ensuring an ‘extraordinary’ employee proposition that will empower team members to deliver guests an exceptional dining experience.