Less than two weeks into the job of chairman, CEO
and president of Burger King Corporation, John Dasburg today implemented a
sweeping new corporate structure which eradicates division barriers and coalesces the
company’s most senior leaders into a tight, single management team.
A key element of the new structure is the elimination of division barriers that made
North America, which accounts for 85% of the company’s business, a separate unit.
Simultaneously, Dasburg also announced a series of new direct reporting positions
which will be functionally, rather than geographically, aligned including chief operating
officer (COO), chief financial officer (CFO), chief marketing officer (CMO), and General
Counsel. Dasburg expects to have his new team in place within the next few months.
“We are creating a strong management team,” said Dasburg. “We will be nimble and
focused on delivering extraordinary performance.”
As a result of the structural change, Mikel Durham, currently President/North America,
has resigned. “Although Mikel was only with the company for a short time, she has
been completely committed to Burger King and will be a great loss. Her contributions
will be missed,” said Dasburg.
Dasburg noted that the company’s international business units would maintain their
organizational structure and continue their long-term growth strategies.
Dasburg believes the best organizational structure to enhance Burger King’s strategic
assets is one that is highly centralized, focused and functionally aligned. In what has
become a mantra for the company’s executives, Dasburg has identified the company’s
four strategic assets as
• Exceptional brands
• A differentiated and preferred burger, the “Whopper”
• Substantial investment in flame broiling including equipment, kitchen design, training and culture
• The Burger King franchise distribution system
“We are building a team that understands our extraordinary assets and will move us
into the next phase of growth,” Dasburg said.