The Summer of International Spotlight - Charles S.

Taco Bell blog

Taco Bell International is home to over 1,100 restaurants in 31 countries outside the US. From building the brand in new markets, to disrupting the food industry with culturally relevant innovations, our international teams embody the Restless Creativity spirit in their efforts of taking the Taco Bell magic worldwide. As we head into what we’re calling “The Summer of International,” we’ll be sharing their personal journeys, exciting adventures overseas, and career growth stories that have quite literally taken them across the globe.

Charles S. works out of our London Restaurant Support Center as Director of Finance and Development.

On the daily, you could say he has two main roles...

“I look after our Franchisees’ Profit and Losses, making sure they are healthy and keep getting even better via a variety of initiatives. Second, my role is also making sure that we supercharge our growth both in Europe and in the UK, so I look for pockets of growth in the form of new market entries, but also explore what would help our existing franchisees. Finding potential sites for development, determining the right incentives for the right number of stores with our franchise partners, and welcoming great partners to the system summarizes what I do.”

So, how’d he get here? Let’s take it back to his early years!

“I was born in Paris, France, but spent 10 years of my life in the U.S. between high school, college and later for my MBA in New York! College was a crazy-cool yet eye-opening experience for me as I went to Duke University in North Carolina, which couldn’t have been more different than my high school experience at the Lycée Francais (French high school) in Manhattan, New York. That’s where I got to see the variety of culture the U.S. has to offer…and became a college basketball fan!”

Ready to jumpstart his career, Charles stepped into the world of corporate finance in Paris.

“The first big part of my career was in corporate finance. I started in Paris doing high-yield debt refinancing, then decided to go full-time focusing on M&A [mergers and acquisitions] deals in Real Estate and Retail. When our son Henri was born, my wife and I quickly realized that the 100-hour weeks were not compatible with being a dad, so, I went to another company and did Finance for them as Director of International Strategy.”

And then came an irresistible offer to join Yum! Brands' KFC division...which led him to The Bell.

“At my previous company, I had met several Yum! alumni who blew me away and this was a huge part in my decision to join KFC UK, and by the end of 2022, I joined Taco Bell. I am going to let you in on a little secret…Taco Bell is my absolute favorite brand, always has been. Some people dream of working for very specific brands...and for me, it was Taco Bell! The brand accompanied me throughout my teenage and young adult years in the U.S.”

Now, Charles spends his time opening the coolest restaurants around the world.

“It’s honestly a blast. I get to live what Taco Bell can accomplish in Europe, day to day! Taco Bell is the coolest restaurant brand in the world, period. And part of my job is combining the coolest restaurant brand in the world with some of the most culture-rich areas the world has to offer. There is huuuuge customer appetite for our mind-blowingly yummy tacos!

So, if he could choose one international menu item, it would be...

“Spain’s Quesarito, hands down – need I say more?”

Looking to the future of Taco Bell International, Charles is excited to be part of what’s to come.

“In the coming years, we are planning to enter a number of new European markets, and I cannot tell you how proud I am to be part of this journey.”

“It is my responsibility to find sites, develop them and open them. It’s super exciting, frankly quite new for Taco Bell International and a bit daunting…but this goes to show how much Taco Bell invests in International and bets on teams to make bold moves. I love being part of this hugely strategic project."