LOUISVILLE, KY: Yum Brands’ global chief communications and public affairs officer Jerilan Greene is stepping down in July.
Greene is also leaving her role as chairman and CEO of the Yum Brands Foundation. She explained in a LinkedIn post that she is taking a break before she decides what to do next.
“My next adventure, which is delightfully unscripted, will start with a brief sabbatical,” Greene wrote.
Greene will stay on as an ESG adviser through the end of the year. She is assisting with the search for her successor, according to a company statement.
“I’m open to leadership opportunities, inside or outside our profession, that leverage my perspective and passions across ESG, business transformation, culture and communications,” Greene told PRWeek via email about what she is looking for in her next role.
Greene has been with the company for 11 years and was promoted to her current role in 2018.
Greene was the 2021 PRWeek Awards U.S. chair of judges and was also inducted into PRWeek’s Hall of Femme – now known as Women of Distinction – last year. Additionally, she was a PRWeek Power List honoree in 2021.
In Q1, Yum Brands’ net sales rose 4% to $1.55 billion, falling short of expectations of $1.59 billion. The company reported Q1 net income of $399 million, up from $326 million a year earlier. Global same-store sales rose 3% in the quarter.
Yum pledged to donate net profits from its Russian business to humanitarian efforts after the country invaded Ukraine. It also temporarily closed company-owned KFC locations in Russia and is finalizing an agreement with its Russian franchisee to suspend Pizza Hut operations there, CNBC reported.
Editor’s note: This story was updated on May 24 with comment from Greene.