---
title: "Yum! Brands Appoints Nai De Leon Chief People & Culture Officer"
url: https://burnaze.com/article/7a619459-d19e-4b9b-a715-e570ad864414
source: "QSR Magazine"
original_url: https://www.qsrmagazine.com/news/yum-brands-appoints-nai-de-leon-chief-people-culture-officer/
category: "Restaurants"
industry: "Restaurants"
topics: ["People"]
published: 2026-07-21T13:54:06.000Z
modified: 2026-10-31T13:16:57.190Z
image: https://www.qsrmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Nai.jpg
---

# Yum! Brands Appoints Nai De Leon Chief People & Culture Officer

**TL;DR:** Yum! Brands has appointed Nai De Leon as Chief People & Culture Officer, effective November 1, to lead the company's global People & Culture strategy. De Leon succeeds Tracy Skeans, who is retiring after more than 25 years at Yum!.

*originally published in QSR Magazine on 2026-07-21. [Read the original](https://www.qsrmagazine.com/news/yum-brands-appoints-nai-de-leon-chief-people-culture-officer/).*

## Story

Yum! Brands announced that Nai De Leon has been appointed Chief People & Culture Officer, effective November 1.

As Chief People & Culture Officer, De Leon will lead Yum!’s global People & Culture strategy, overseeing Talent, Leadership Development, Total Rewards, Organizational Effectiveness and People Operations across the company’s global business. She will report to Yum! Chief Executive Officer Chris Turner and serve on the Yum! Brands Global Leadership Team.

De Leon joined Yum! Brands in August 2025 as Chief Talent & Centers of Excellence Officer leading the company’s global People & Culture strategy, as well as the Total Rewards, Learning & Development and Talent Acquisition Centers of Excellence. She has partnered closely with leaders across the company to strengthen talent development, organizational effectiveness and advance the capabilities needed to support Yum!’s long-term growth.

“Nai is an exceptional leader with deep expertise in talent, organizational transformation and leadership development, and she has already made an impact on our business since joining Yum!,” said Turner. “Working closely with Tracy and our People and Culture Leadership Team, she has strengthened our talent strategy and built the capabilities that will help us Raise the B.A.R. and power Yum!’s next chapter of growth. Her proven ability to develop leaders, shape culture and drive transformation makes her the ideal person to lead our global People & Culture organization.”

Prior to joining Yum!, De Leon spent 20 years with Bain & Company, where she advised global organizations on large-scale transformations, growth strategy, organizational performance and change management. She also led many of Bain’s recruiting and leadership development initiatives, helping shape talent practices across the firm. During her nearly decade-long partnership with Yum! as an adviser, she worked closely with the Global Leadership Team on strategic growth and transformation initiatives, providing her with a deep understanding of Yum!’s business, culture and long-term strategy.

Nai succeeds Tracy Skeans, who recently announced her plans to retire after more than 25 years at Yum!, most recently serving as Chief Operating Officer and Chief People & Culture Officer.

“I am honored to have the opportunity to serve as Yum!’s Chief People & Culture Officer,” said De Leon. “Our people and culture are a tremendous competitive advantage, and I’m excited to build on the strong foundation Tracy and our team have established. I look forward to continuing to develop exceptional leaders, strengthen our culture and help our teams around the world unlock their full potential.”

## Entities

- QSR (sector)
- QSR Magazine (publication)
- executive appointment (topic)
- Yum Brands (company)
- leadership development (topic)
- Chris Turner (person)
- Bain & Company (company)
- talent management (topic)
- organizational culture (topic)
- Tracy Skeans (person)
- Nai De Leon (person)

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Originally reported by QSR Magazine (https://www.qsrmagazine.com/news/yum-brands-appoints-nai-de-leon-chief-people-culture-officer/). Summarized by Burnaze (https://burnaze.com/article/7a619459-d19e-4b9b-a715-e570ad864414).