KFC is owned by Yum! Brands, the same publicly traded restaurant company behind Pizza Hut and Taco Bell. Yum! Brands trades on the NYSE under the ticker YUM, meaning KFC itself has no single private owner — it’s controlled by a corporation answering to public shareholders and a board of directors.
Leadership changed at the top of Yum! Brands in late 2025. Chris Turner became CEO effective October 1, 2025, succeeding David Gibbs, who retired after a 37-year run with the company. Turner isn’t new to the organization — he had served as Yum!’s CFO since 2019 and picked up the chief franchise officer title in 2024 before stepping into the top job. At the brand level, Scott Mezvinsky has led the KFC Division as CEO since March 1, 2025, reporting up to Turner. Under this leadership, Yum! has talked publicly about a long-term vision of scaling KFC to 75,000 locations globally, well above its current footprint.
Quick Facts
| Company | KFC |
|---|---|
| Parent Company | Yum! Brands, Inc. (NYSE: YUM) |
| Yum! Brands CEO | Chris Turner (since October 1, 2025) |
| KFC Division CEO | Scott Mezvinsky (since March 1, 2025) |
| Sister Brands | Pizza Hut, Taco Bell |
| Growth Target | Vision of 75,000 KFC locations globally |
Ownership History
| Year | Development |
|---|---|
| 1997 | PepsiCo spins off its restaurant division — including KFC, Pizza Hut, and Taco Bell — as Tricon Global Restaurants |
| 2002 | Tricon Global Restaurants renamed Yum! Brands |
| 2019 | Chris Turner joins Yum! Brands as CFO |
| 2024 | Turner adds chief franchise officer responsibilities alongside his CFO role |
| March 1, 2025 | Scott Mezvinsky becomes CEO of the KFC Division |
| October 1, 2025 | Chris Turner becomes CEO of Yum! Brands, succeeding David Gibbs after his 37-year tenure |
| 2026 | Yum! Brands leadership reiterates a long-term vision of 75,000 KFC restaurants worldwide |
Key Ownership Highlights
- KFC has been part of the same corporate family as Pizza Hut and Taco Bell since the 1997 PepsiCo spinoff, all now under Yum! Brands.
- Turner’s path to CEO — nearly a decade at Yum! Brands as CFO before taking the top job — reflects a pattern of internal promotion at the company rather than bringing in outside leadership.
- The 75,000-location target signals Yum!’s continued bet on KFC as a primary global growth driver, particularly in international markets.
FAQ
Who owns KFC?
KFC is owned by Yum! Brands, Inc., a publicly traded company (NYSE: YUM) that also owns Pizza Hut and Taco Bell.
Who is the CEO of KFC?
Scott Mezvinsky has led the KFC Division as CEO since March 1, 2025. He reports to Yum! Brands CEO Chris Turner, who took the top corporate role on October 1, 2025.
