Burger King UK appoints Alasdair Murdoch as chief executive: Alasdair Murdoch has been appointed chief executive of Burger King UK. Murdoch will be in charge of the new Burger King UK entity from 1 February responsible for the master franchisee license with exclusive rights to the brand in the UK, as well as owning and operating 74 restaurants. As custodian of the master franchise, Burger King UK has control over the brand’s proposition in the UK and the right to roll-out new stores across the country. The entity was formed following completion of Bridgepoint’s agreement with Burger King Europe, an affiliate of Restaurant Brands International, to become the UK master franchisee of Burger King, with exclusive rights to the brand in the UK and simultaneous acquisition of Caspian UK Group, one of the UK’s largest Burger King franchisees with 74 restaurants. Murdoch joins a highly experienced management team, led by chairman Martin Robinson (chairman of Casual Dining Group and Park Dean Resorts, former chairman of Center Parcs and Wagamama) and supported by chief financial officer Tim Doubleday (former Group chief financial officer of Casual Dining Group) and chief operating officer Richard Dening-Smitherman (former chief executive of Nando’s UAE). Murdoch brings more than 20 years’ of restaurant industry and franchise experience to the joint venture. Most recently, he served as chief executive of Gourmet Burger Kitchen for seven years, overseeing the substantial growth of the business since his team took the company private in 2010, ultimately leading to Gourmet Burger Kitchen’s successful acquisition by Famous Brands in 2016. Prior to Gourmet Burger Kitchen, Murdoch held a number of senior positions within Yum! Brands. In 2000, he became operations director for the delivery brand for Pizza Hut UK where he achieved a tripling of profitability and development of its franchise model within that channel. He then joined KFC as operations director in the UK before moving to France as managing director of the Pizza Hut business. In 2006 he became chief executive of Pizza Hut UK for three years, before moving on to lead Pizza Express’s International business based out of Barcelona, enabling its sale back to the brand owner at the time. Murdoch, said: “I am incredibly proud to be leading the new entity which has a huge opportunity ahead. We have an exceptional management team in place and we believe that the Company will have the potential to materially increase the size of its estate in the years to come. Working closely with our franchisees, we will take a measured approach to improving customer attraction and retention through investment in improving the consumer experience, our food offering, restaurants, teams and franchisees as we build a brand for the next generation.” Robinson added: “Alasdair is an exceptional appointment and brings with him unrivalled experience across the international restaurant industry and franchise sector. Burger King is an iconic brand which we will drive forward in the UK, alongside our dedicated franchisee partners, to deliver substantial growth and value.”