Yum Brands CEO David Gibbs announced Monday that he plans to retire from the company in the first quarter of 2026.

Gibbs, 62, is a 36-year veteran of Louisville, Kentucky-based Yum Brands, which is the world’s largest restaurant company. Yum owns the Taco Bell, Pizza Hut and Habit Burger & Grill brands and and has 61,000 restaurants in more than 155 countries.

Gibbs will continue to lead the company during the search process for the new CEO.

Gibbs became Yum Brands’ CEO in January 2020, then navigated the company through the pandemic and the bumpy years that followed. He focused on new store development. In 2024, the company opened 4,535 new stores in more than 100 countries. That compares to 2,040 new store openings in 2019.

Gibbs also updated technology in stores. Earlier this month, Yum signed an industry-first deal with the artificial intelligence and computing company Nvidia, which will work with Yum on automated ordering at drive-thrus and call centers and computer-enhanced operation plans in restaurants.

Yum’s board of directors commended Gibbs, saying he has had a “transformative impact” on the company.

Prior to becoming CEO, Gibbs led the Pizza Hut division from 2015 to 2016. Later he served as the company’s chief financial officer and chief operating officer.