Staffing

Former Yum Brands exec tapped to lead Pieology's marketing team

Former Yum Brands executive Adrienne Berkes is now leading Pieology's team as CMO. Photo provided.

August 21, 2020

Former Yum Brands executive Adrienne Berkes is now leading Pieology's team as its CMO.

"Adrienne is an accomplished marketing strategist with strong QSR retail experience and a passion to build brands," Pieology CEO Gregg Imamoto said in a company press release.

Berkes, who has spent the past 17 years at Yum Brands, has experience in brand strategy and positioning, developing products, identifying sales drivers. managing promotions and building digital-first business models like off-premise and third-party delivery, Imamoto said.

Berkes got her start with Taco Bell, where as director of brand marketing she oversaw the development and launch of Taco Bell's breakfast initiative. From Taco Bell, she became CMO for Pizza Hut in the U.K. and Ireland, where she was responsible for growing the brand and subsequently assumed responsibility for Pizza Hut's European markets as the chief sales and brand officer. Three years later, she returned to the U.S. as Taco Bell's point person on the development and launch of its delivery program.

About $100 million of success later, she took over restaurant experience strategy and innovation for the company, where she oversaw its drive-thru digital transformation strategy and opened its first ghost kitchen.

"My priorities will be driving innovation, our consumer's love of Pieology and opening new markets for Pieology as we move forward," she said in the release.

Pieology, based in California, has 120 corporate and franchise locations across the U.S., Mexico, Spain and China, and is coming soon to other international locations.