Devyani International (DIL), which runs KFC and Pizza Hut outlets in India as a franchisee of US-based Yum Brands, has appointed its chief financial officer (CFO) Manish Dawar as the company's next CEO and president.
The leadership change will be effective from 1 April 2026.
DIL non-executive chairman Ravi Jaipuria said: "DIL is at a critical inflection point in its growth journey, as we prepare to scale into a larger, more diversified and more complex organisation.
"The board believes that this next phase requires a bold strategic vision, backed by strong execution capability. Accordingly, Manish Dawar shall get elevated as president and CEO for DIL with effect from 1 April 2026."
Dawar will succeed Viraj Joshi, who will continue with the company as a non-executive director, according to a Reuters report .
Following this transition, DIL's current finance executive vice-president Anupam Kumar will step into the position of CFO.
The company announced the leadership change alongside its results for the third quarter that ended on 31 December.
It reported a consolidated net loss of Rs103.9m ($1.15m) for Q3 FY26, compared with a loss of Rs4.9m in the same period a year earlier.
Excluding a one-time charge related to India's new labour laws, DIL posted a profit of Rs659.8m ($7.31m) for the December quarter.
Last month, Devyani International entered a merger agreement with Sapphire Foods.
The transaction would bring together two Yum! Brands franchise operators in India, creating one of the country's largest quick-service restaurant groups. The merger is expected to take approximately 12 to 15 months to become effective.
"India's Pizza Hut and KFC operator names new CEO" was originally created and published by Verdict Food Service , a GlobalData owned brand.
