If you’ve walked into a Burger King lately, you’ve probably noticed things look a little... different. The kiosks actually work. The dining rooms feel less like a 1990s time capsule and more like a modern bistro. Even the Whopper seems to have a bit more swagger.
This isn't an accident. It’s the result of a massive, multi-year overhaul from the top down. But if you’re trying to figure out exactly who is the CEO of Burger King right now, the answer depends on whether you're looking at the person running the global parent company or the leader focused specifically on your local drive-thru.
The Man at the Helm: Joshua Kobza
Since March 2023, Joshua Kobza has served as the CEO of Restaurant Brands International (RBI).
RBI is the massive parent company that owns Burger King, along with Popeyes, Tim Hortons, and Firehouse Subs. Think of Kobza as the grand architect. He isn't just worried about whether the fries are salty enough; he’s managing a global empire of over 30,000 restaurants.
Kobza is a "company man" in the best way possible. He’s been with RBI for over a decade. Before he got the top job, he cycled through almost every major executive role you can imagine. CFO? Check. CTO? Yup. COO? He did that too. This gives him a weirdly specific advantage. He understands the balance sheet, but he also understands why the mobile app used to crash on Tuesdays.
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He’s young, too. When he took over, he was only 36. That’s practically a toddler in the world of Fortune 500 CEOs, but it’s exactly the kind of energy the brand needed to stop being "that place with the creepy king mascot" and start being a tech-forward food giant.
The "President" vs. The "CEO"
Here is where it gets slightly confusing for people outside the industry. While Kobza is the CEO of the parent company, Tom Curtis is the President of Burger King U.S. and Canada.
In the world of fast food, the "President" of a specific brand often acts like the CEO of that business unit. If you live in North America, Tom Curtis is the person responsible for your Burger King experience.
Curtis is a veteran of the pizza wars. He spent 35 years at Domino’s. He knows how to move food fast. When he joined the team in 2021, his job was simple but incredibly difficult: save Burger King from sliding into irrelevance. He’s the guy behind the "Reclaim the Flame" initiative, a $400 million plan to fix the brand's image and operations.
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Honestly, it’s working.
Why the Leadership Matters to You
You might think, "Who cares who sits in an office in Miami?" But these leadership shifts change what you eat.
Under Kobza and Curtis, Burger King has stopped trying to do everything at once. They realized they couldn't beat McDonald's at being McDonald's. Instead, they leaned into what makes them unique—the flame-grilling.
We’ve seen some pretty wild stuff lately:
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- Natural Innovation: They’ve been using things like beet juice and paprika to color buns for movie tie-ins (like the recent How to Train Your Dragon partnership) because parents in 2026 are way more skeptical of artificial dyes.
- Franchisee Health: They stopped squeezing their owners for every penny and started investing in them. Happy owners mean cleaner bathrooms and faster service.
- The "You Rule" Shift: This was more than just a catchy jingle. It was a mandate to the staff to focus on "hospitality" rather than just "transactions."
The Supporting Cast in 2026
The leadership bench at Burger King is deeper than it used to be. Just recently, in late 2025, they moved Nicolas (Nico) Henrich into the role of Chief Operating Officer for the U.S. and Canada. He replaced Peter Perdue, who moved over to lead Popeyes.
Then there’s Amy Alarcon, who was recently named the head chef for Burger King North America. Bringing her over from Popeyes was a massive win. If you’ve noticed the chicken sandwiches at BK getting significantly better, you can thank her. She reports to Joel Yashinsky, the Chief Marketing Officer who has been the brain behind the brand's recent viral advertising successes.
What’s Next for the King?
The 2026 landscape for fast food is brutal. Labor costs are high, and customers are pickier than ever. Joshua Kobza has made it clear that "autonomy" is the word of the year. He’s giving leaders like Tom Curtis the freedom to run Burger King like a hungry startup rather than a slow-moving corporate dinosaur.
If you’re watching the stock or just wondering if your next Whopper will be hot, keep an eye on these names. The "Reclaim the Flame" era isn't over—it’s just entering its most aggressive phase.
Actionable Insights for the Curious:
- For Investors: Watch RBI's quarterly earnings calls specifically for "comparable store sales" in the U.S. This is the ultimate report card for Tom Curtis and Joshua Kobza.
- For Franchisees: Focus on the "Reclaim the Flame" incentives. The company is putting up serious cash for remodels right now, and the window for those subsidies won't stay open forever.
- For Customers: Use the Royal Perks app. The leadership has dumped millions into the digital infrastructure, meaning the best deals and the fastest "skip-the-line" features are now strictly digital.