PizzaExpress hires new chief operating officer

PizzaExpress has appointed Lawrence Harvey as its new chief operating officer to oversee its c.350 restaurants in the UK and Ireland.

He joins from an operations director role at the Dobbie’s Garden Centres chain and has also worked for Tesco, Barclays and Aldi.

The appointment follows a series of senior management changes at PizzaExpress. Zoe Bowley stepped down as managing director in January after 12 years with the business, while former KFC boss Paula MacKenzie took over as chief executive last summer.

PizzaExpress cut around 2,400 UK jobs and permanently closed 73 restaurants after the pandemic hit trading in 2020. However, in 2021 the chain said it was aiming to open 50 new sites within three years and refurbish hundreds of locations after sales bounced back.

The casual dining chain said it would continue to grow its app, which now has 1.4 million users, and was focusing on remodelling restaurants and expanding its delivery offer.

MacKenzie said: “Customers come to PizzaExpress for a special experience – whether it’s a reason to celebrate or it’s a weeknight meal with family or friends – so it’s important we have a strong operational leader to drive service and standards across our estate.

“Lawrence brings a wealth of experience with a proven track record engaging teams to deliver results.”

PizzaExpress was founded in London's Soho in 1965 and now has over 350 restaurants in the UK and Ireland, and around 450 in total worldwide.