TGI Fridays Names Brandon Coleman III As New Chief Executive Officer
Following his role as US President and Global Chief Marketing Officer for TGI Fridays, Coleman will lead the transformative new phase for bar and restaurant brand
TGI Fridays said today that Brandon Coleman III has been named Chief Executive Officer. The announcement was made by Rohit Manocha, Chairman of the Board and Co-Founder of TriArtisan Capital Advisors. TriArtisan, the lead investor in TGI Fridays with extensive holdings and deep experience in the restaurant and hospitality industry, conducted an extensive search among internal and external candidates led by the global executive search firm Heidrick & Struggles.
Mr. Coleman will lead TGI Fridays into a transformative next phase revitalizing the brand to position it as a growing market leader in the rapidly evolving food and hospitality industry. This entails accelerating the company's evolution as an experiential hospitality and entertainment destination by offering bold new offerings across key dayparts as well as an expansion of restaurant locations, domestically and internationally.
Applying his prior experience from experiential entertainment destinations, Mr. Coleman is focused on anchoring TGI Fridays around its heritage as the bar of choice providing the ideal environment for socialization and good times around a compelling food and beverage offering. This includes creative new cocktails with that Fridays flair, along with buzzworthy partnerships and industry-leading offerings across beer, wine, spirits and the burgeoning non-alcoholic sector. Celebrations, parties and fun times with friends and family are core to the brand and creating exciting, differentiated experiences to win these occasions will be the focus for the new CEO and his leadership team.
TGI Fridays and Mr. Coleman have been at the forefront of deploying innovative creative offerings appealing to today's customers via their successful launch, in restaurant and off premise, of Krispy Rice, a cutting edge, but accessible, sushi offering, developed in partnership with food technology company C3. This product has not only contemporized the TGI Fridays menu, but also broadened its customer appeal. Most recently, under Mr. Coleman's leadership, TGI Fridays expanded its presence at the Dallas Fort Worth International Airport with a location that is on track to be the highest volume sales location of any U.S. airport restaurant with an anticipated annual revenue of $14MM. Mr. Coleman also recently led the brand through its biggest menu change since the 1990's with the launch of its Grilled & Sauced platform.
"Brandon has proven time and time again that innovation layered on top of rich brand history is the key to sustained and impactful growth," said Mr. Manocha. "Since first coming to the company as our Chief Marketing Officer, following a storied career in the restaurant industry, Brandon has been driving greater relevance and stronger connection with today's consumers. TriArtisan Capital Partners believes in the future of TGI Fridays and we know what it takes for this restaurant to win. We are thrilled to continue this journey and we are confident that Brandon is the right person to lead TGI Fridays into its strategic next phase."
The 40-year-old Coleman will bring his extensive, award-winning experience to his new role with the brand. Mr. Coleman joined the company in October 2022 where he led the domestic corporate and franchise stores as well as the TGI Fridays brand as US President and Chief Marketing Officer. Previously, Mr. Coleman had a highly successful career in the restaurant industry, serving as Senior Vice President and CMO of Dave & Busters, various leadership roles at Del Frisco's Restaurant Group, and as Chief Marketing Officer of Romano's Macaroni Grill as well as serving as CEO and Management Consultant for Brava Partners, a consulting group focused on branding and business strategy. In 2013, Mr. Coleman was named one of Ad Age's 40 Under 40.
"I am incredibly proud to be named Chief Executive Officer of TGI Fridays and lead this incredible brand," said Mr. Coleman. "TGI Fridays is entering a new era of growth and prominence that will build on our beloved tradition and the emotional connection of great food and drinks along with the fun and entertainment that only TGI Fridays can do. I thank Mr. Manocha, our board of directors, and the team at TriArtisan Capital Advisors for their confidence in me and I am looking forward to working with our franchisees and our company owned restaurants to lead TGI Fridays into a new chapter."
