Joey Wat has been the CEO of Yum China since 2018, also serving as a member of the Board of Directors since 2017. Under her leadership, Yum China—the largest restaurant company in China by system sales and a member of the Fortune 500—has grown to over 17,000 stores across more than 2,500 cities, with annual revenues exceeding $11 billion. The company operates iconic brands in China, including KFC, Pizza Hut, Lavazza, Huang Ji Huang, Little Sheep, and Taco Bell.

 

Prior to joining Yum China, she served as Managing Director of Watsons UK, where she successfully turned around the Savers and Superdrug drug store chains. She started her career in management consulting, including roles with Kearney and McKinsey & Company in Hong Kong.

 

Joey was named to Fortune’s “100 Most Powerful People in Business” list in 2025, and has been consistently recognized by Fortune and Forbes on their prestigious "Most Powerful Women" lists. She also frequently appears on lists of notable global business leaders by CNBC and Business Insider.