“Hyperkinetic” David Novak, CEO of Yum Brands
From the Wall Street Journal’s review of The Education of an Accidental CEO: Lessons Learned from the Trailer Park to the Corner Office
Obviously, Mr. [David] Novak’s pitchman fervor and people skills are joined to a traditionally shrewd sense of how to make a profit. Still, he seems to relish being the hyperkinetic iconoclast. He describes himself as “the one among the Brooks Brothers power suits with his shirttail sticking out.” The CEO says that he avoids working weekends if he can help it, so as to focus on family and relaxation, and it may be good for Yum that he does.
“Sometimes,” he confesses, “the worst thing that can happen to our company is me getting a free day in the office. I’m a creative guy and I can start dreaming up stuff to do when we haven’t finished what we started.”
– Richard Gibson in “Business Bookshelf: Pitchman in the Corner Office”, Wall Street Journal, October 24, 2007.
Yum Brands is one of the world’s largest restaurant companies, whose brands include KFC, Pizza Hut, Taco bell, Long John Silver’s and A&W.
