---
title: "German Doner Kebab Key Executive Hires"
url: https://burnaze.com/article/c18487da-2cbd-46a3-a27f-53a2fed9c8d5
source: "Franchising.com"
original_url: https://www.franchising.com/news/20220624_german_doner_kebab_key_executive_hires.html
category: "Restaurants"
industry: "Restaurants"
topics: ["People"]
published: 2022-06-24T12:00:00.000Z
modified: 2026-11-01T02:08:54.214Z
image: https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1504674900247-0877df9cc836?w=1600&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop
---

# German Doner Kebab Key Executive Hires

**TL;DR:** German Doner Kebab USA has hired several key executives, including Robert Bray as operations director and Mark Treptow as director of franchise development. The brand is focused on providing fresh, premium, quality ingredients at affordable prices and is expanding in North America.

*originally published in Franchising.com on 2022-06-24. [Read the original](https://www.franchising.com/news/20220624_german_doner_kebab_key_executive_hires.html).*

## Story

Reporting to Nigel Belton, GDK North America’s managing director, Bray has more than 20 years of operations experience with YUM! Brands and was most recently senior regional franchise director at Church’s Chicken. Treptow has franchised multiple emerging restaurant concepts such as Five Guys Burgers, Freshii and The Halal Guys.

Recent UK transplant Cavendish joins from Island Poké - a division of GDK’s parent company Hero Brands - to support the brand and franchisees across North America. Cooke joins the team after international marketing roles for well-known brands that include Kroger, Virgin, Adidas, Starbucks, and Google.

“GDK is revolutionizing the doner kebab experience, and we’re excited to bring our fresh, high-quality taste sensation to North Americans,” said Belton. “We’ve assembled a team of executives with a wealth of food and beverage experience, and we’re excited to utilize their expertise.”

With global headquarters in Glasgow, Scotland, GDK, is focused on providing its customers with fresh, premium, quality ingredients at affordable prices. GDK opened its first US site in New Jersey’s American Dream Mall in 2021. In Canada, three locations are currently open; one in British Columbia and two in Ontario.

“It is exciting to have the opportunity to shape the creation of the processes, behaviors, and relationships with our franchisees to help GDK grow in North America,” said Bray. “As we continue our quest to bring the doner kebab sensation to the people, I look forward to creating a guest experience that will keep them coming back again and again for our fresh food and great service.”

## Entities

- Franchising.com (publication)
- Restaurants (sector)
- franchise development (topic)
- Starbucks (company)
- Yum Brands (company)
- Five Guys (company)
- Church's Texas Chicken (company)
- The Halal Guys (company)
- German Doner Kebab (company)
- Kroger (company)
- Freshii (company)
- north america expansion (topic)

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Originally reported by Franchising.com (https://www.franchising.com/news/20220624_german_doner_kebab_key_executive_hires.html). Summarized by Burnaze (https://burnaze.com/article/c18487da-2cbd-46a3-a27f-53a2fed9c8d5).