030127 Taco Bell Exec Named New Burger King PresidentJanuary 16, 2003Miami, FL - Burger King has hired an experienced fast-food chain executive to be its new president, filling a job vacated last month when its chairman gave up the added responsibilities as part of a management shakeup by the new owners of the nation's second biggest burger chain. Bob Nilsen, former chief operating officer of Taco Bell, will supervise the operations of all franchise and company restaurants as Burger King's president. Nilsen, 43, has 13 years experience in the fast-food industry. He helped boost sales and improve operations in his last three years at Taco Bell. "I see this as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and one that I want to be a part of," Nilsen said Tuesday. "Burger King is one of the great brands in the world. I'm very confident that by working together with the franchisees and really focusing on the customer, we're going to see great improvements." Nilsen will report to chief executive Brad Blum, who was hired last month. Blum was previously vice chairman of Darden Restaurants in Orlando and is credited with engineering the turnaround of Olive Garden restaurants. Having Nilsen and Blum in place, chairman John Dasburg's role atop the Miami-based fast-food chain is diminished to that of an advisor. Dasburg will not be on the company's new board of directors. Blum and Nilsen will serve as members of the company's board. U.S. investors -- Texas Pacific Group, Bain Capital and Goldman Sachs Capital Partners -- bought Burger King last month from British beverage company Diageo PLC. The chain has seen profits decline the past year as a result of increased competition and a price war with burger leader McDonald's Corp. "Brad and Bob will make an effective leadership team at Burger King, and having both of them on board is significant in the effort to move Burger King's growth process forward quickly," the investor group said in a statement.
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