Papa John’s welcomes new UK Business Development Director

Papa John’s has announced that an experienced pizza professional will be taking the lead of its UK development strategy.

Papa John’s has revealed that experienced pizza professional Justin Gilbert will be joining its senior UK team. He will take on the role of Director of Business Development for the the UK and will oversee the whole of the pizza franchise’s store portfolio. His responsibilities will include managing new store construction, acquiring new stores and recruiting franchisees, as well as overseeing the team based at the Milton Keynes Quality Control Centre.

Previously, Justin has spent more than two decades working for competitors, including Domino’s and Yum! brands, which owns Pizza Hut. He has worked in both the US and the UK, and key responsibilities in the past have included overseeing more than 1,000 Domino’s stores across America.

Speaking about his new role, Justin said:

“I am excited about the direction of Papa John’s in the UK. My team will be concentrating on further improving ROI for stores and taking advantage of untapped market opportunities to meet the needs of customers nationwide as we continue to develop the brand.”

He explained how Papa John’s has flourished over the past year and how he hopes to capitalise on this momentum.

“Papa John’s has demonstrated excellent new store growth over the past year. We see this continuing as we work with new and existing franchisees who have the overall capability and desire to operate with a significant footprint in the UK. We are also open to partnerships which can support new growth channels, as we aim to help franchisees expand their portfolios and reach the goals they want from their investment.”

Liz Williams, UK Managing Director of Papa Johns, expressed the pizza franchise’s delight that it will soon be welcoming its experienced new recruit.

“I am delighted that Justin is joining our Leadership Team in Milton Keynes. His wealth of experience will add tremendous value as we continue to grow the business in the coming years.”

Find out more about becoming a Papa John’s franchisee by following the link above. 

Sophie Cole, Point Franchise ©