MANAGEMENT TEAM

As the Acting Group Chief Executive Officer, Arif is responsible for the leadership, strategic direction, and management of Restaurant Brands’ operations across New Zealand, Australia, Hawaii, and California. 

 

Arif Khan’s extensive career spans more than 25 years in the hospitality and Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) sectors across both Franchisor and Master Franchisee networks.  His global experience covers New Zealand, Australia, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, Pakistan, Turkey, and North Africa. He has a proven track record leading growth and innovation in large businesses.

 

Having spent several years at RBD earlier in his career, Arif returned to the company in 2018 as CEO to lead the New Zealand operations. Under his leadership the New Zealand operations have continued to grow rapidly, including the launch of Taco Bell into New Zealand in 2019 and its subsequent growth to 14 locations across the country, and including the turnaround of Pizza Hut and Carl’s Jr. brands in New Zealand.

 

Arif is a strategic and commercially-focused people leader. He has a long history in both high level national and international managerial positions He has a strong business acumen and successfully steered the New Zealand business through the COVID 19 pandemic.

Julio Valdés, has more than 30 years’ experience in accounting, auditing, M&A, divestitures, and taxes. Julio has provided a diversity of services primarily to companies in the consumer products, power & utilities, and manufacturing sectors advising both Mexican and international companies and supporting their comprehensive development. He has also participated in projects for multinational public companies with reporting requirements under the Sarbanes Oxley Act and has broad experience in reports required under IFRS and USGAAP.

 

Prior to joining Restaurant Brands Julio served as CFO for Grupo Finaccess, a post to which he was appointed in September 2020. Previously, he served as Director of New Business Integration. Julio also participated in the process through which Grupo Finaccess acquired a majority stake in RBD. Prior to joining Grupo Finaccess, Julio worked for more than 29 years at PwC, where he held several positions including Market Team Leader for the largest audit team in Mexico, overseeing 18 Audit Partners and a staff of over 300 people. He also served as either Leading Partner or Manager advising several of the most relevant companies in Mexico and participated in PwC’s Global Leadership Programs.

 

Julio is responsible for the finance, treasury, and investor relations teams within Restaurant Brands.