Ivan Schofield to replace Andrew Guy as CEO at Ed's Easy Diner
Ed's Easy Diner, the chain of 1950s American diners which is set to be sold later this year, has appointed Ivan Schofield as chief executive.
He will join the company of 50 outlets later this month to replace Andrew Guy who will retire from the business at the end of the year. Guy, who will continue to work for the company in an advisory capacity, said in June that a sale of the company would simply result in a change to "the financial structure of the company and not to the brand, not to the philosophy of the way it is run".
Schofield has spent the last 15 years with Yum! Brands, most recently since 2011, as managing director KFC Western Europe, based in France, where he was responsible for 450 company and franchise outlets across 15 countries. He also grew KFC France from 20 outlets to nearly 200.
Earlier in his career Schofield worked with LEK Consulting and held sales and marketing roles with Unilever. He holds an MBA from INSEAD, the business school in Fontainbleu, France, and a degree in economics with econometrics from Bath University.
Schofield said that he was delighted to lead Ed's Easy Diner through its next phase of development.
"I have huge admiration for what Andrew and the team have done so far," he said. "The brand has strength beyond its scale and is a terrific concept with great products, affordable prices and excellent service, underpinned by the timeless and universal appeal of the 1950s American diner."
Stephen Greene, chairman of the company, described Schofield as "an outstanding appointment" for Ed's. "Ivan's considerable experience in managing rapid development and scale will be pivotal during our next stage of development. With this, he has amassed a wealth of experience in building consumer brands, innovation, new unit development, operations, International expansion, franchising and talent development.
"Until he retires, Andrew will continue to bring his experience to the business and work with Ivan, handing over years of knowledge of the UK casual dining market and Ed's operations. Andrew's tireless effort, operational expertise and constant enthusiasm has contributed enormously to Ed's success and has provided the perfect foundation for the future for which we at Ed's are all immensely grateful."
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