Domino’s restructures with twin-region approach, new executive appointments

Domino’s has ramped up its digital offerings during the pandemic. Image: Supplied.

A restructure at Domino’s Pizza Enterprises Ltd (DPE) has refocused the multi-national business on a twin-region approach with the goal of more than doubling the current size of the business over the next decade.

The new focus also brings with it some executive changes, and ANZ CEO Nick Knight’s decision to retire from the business. He will be replaced by another brand veteran, David Burness, who is transitioning to the role over the next two weeks.

Domino’s restructure puts a dual focus on Europe and Asia-Pacific.

Group CEO and managing director Don Meij said the twin approach to Europe and APAC, each region with a population base of about 180 million people, will deliver significant opportunity for both organic growth and acquisitions.

“As we accelerate to 2030 and beyond, we will grow much larger businesses in both regions; each planned to be bigger than the entire DPE of today,” Meij said.

“What has supported our growth to this point has been the ability of each region to understand their local markets, while also ensuring we maximise the benefits from our size, scale, and collaboration with our international colleagues. This will remain unchanged.

“A twin region approach will see a continued focus on global strategies and systems such as our OneDigital platform, which has already grown online ordering to a record 78.2 per cent.”

Meij said local expertise will strengthen marketing and store roll-outs.

“We’ve previously taken this approach on a local level (for example using marketing resources from Australia to support New Zealand) and proven the benefits – we now intend to scale up this strategy to a regional level.

Executive shifts in Domino’s restructure

The restructure brings with it executive changes.

To head up the Asia-Pacific business, current Japan CEO and president Josh Kilimnik has been appointed as APAC CEO. He will work with Europe CEO Andre ten Wolde to identify functions to be reinforced by a regional executive within their regions.

Kilimnik will continue to take leadership responsibility for Domino’s Japan and the Taiwan CEO and ANZ CEO will report to him in his APAC CEO role.

Current Japan chief marketing officer Todd Reilly has been appointed APAC chief marketing officer, with Europe chief commercial officer Nicky Claeys performing an expanded role in Europe.

Martin Steenks, franchise operations director of Domino’s Netherlands, has been appointed as CEO of Domino’s Taiwan, with immediate effect.

A former Domino’s delivery driver and multi-unit franchisee Steenks led the corporate operations team from 2019 and helped lead the Dutch market to set a new world record for a week of deliveries, an average of 17 minutes and 19 seconds across all stores.

Both outgoing Australia/New Zealand boss Nick Knight and incoming chief executive David Burness also came to the CEO role with multi-unit franchisee experience, a point Don Meij emphasised.

Meij said “This is a franchisee-led business that thrives due to our world-class people. I’m proud that our latest CEO appointments come from our stores and the ranks of our franchisees.”

This story originally ran on Inside Franchise Business Executive.

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