Melissa Cash Named Chief Marketing Officer at KFC U.S.

KFC U.S. has announced the appointment of Melissa Cash as its new Chief Marketing Officer, effective September 16. Cash will report to Catherine Tan-Gillespie, President of KFC U.S., who previously held the CMO position before her promotion in April 2025. In her new role, Cash will oversee brand strategy, food innovation, integrated marketing, and e-commerce marketing.

The company also announced other key leadership appointments. Francis "Rico" Arrastia has been named Chief Digital & Technology Officer, effective September 9. Arrastia will lead the digital and technology strategy for KFC U.S., focusing on modernizing customer engagement and advancing personalization and performance analytics. He will report to Judd Knight, KFC Global Chief Digital & Technology Officer, with a dotted line to Tan-Gillespie.

Additionally, Tiffany Furman joined KFC U.S. as Chief Growth Officer in July 2025. This new role combines finance and development under a unified growth strategy. Furman has been with Yum! Brands for over 17 years, previously serving as Chief Financial Officer at Habit Burger & Grill.

Sarah Crow was appointed Chief Legal Officer in March 2025. Crow has been with Yum! Brands for six years, holding leadership roles in franchising and development at Pizza Hut U.S. and Taco Bell U.S.

These appointments are part of KFC U.S.'s efforts to strengthen its leadership team as it implements its Kentucky Fried Comeback Plan, aimed at enhancing brand relevance and growth in the U.S. market. The leadership team also includes Heather Becker (McCoy) as Chief People & Culture Officer and Thuthuka Nxumalo as Chief Operations Officer.