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– Rohan Pius
Leadership change at Guzman y Gomez sees CMO Lara Thom depart after decade, with Claire West assuming expanded global marketing responsibilities.
Australian fast-food sensation Guzman y Gomez sees the departure of their Chief Marketing Officer, Lara Thom, announcing her executive resignation after 10 years with the company. Over this period, Thom was key in transforming the globally spanning, Sydney-bred Guzman y Gomez into a billion-dollar company operating 200+ restaurants across four nations. Thom will leave the company on April 24 and has been an architect of GYG's marketing strategy during the company's continual growth and international expansion.
Claire West joins the team as the Director for Marketing, following the CMO resignation, having spent the last 5 years as the Director of Marketing for Woolworths Group and about 6 years as the Marketing Director for Westpac. Claire will take on a new, larger position as the Global Leader for all aspects of GYG's marketing functions.
Additionally, GYG founder and co-CEO, Steven Marks, listed Thom's efforts as critical to establishing GYG's brand development and how it has been positioned in the marketplace. Marks said, "Lara was an energetic and caring leader who brought real belief and heart to the GYG brand while ensuring that the company remained true to building real brand connections rather than superficial marketing. She cared deeply about doing it right, not just what looked good, but what actually connected with people."
Thom's marketing leadership proved instrumental during GYG's evolution from challenger chain into a billion-dollar business, with company network sales surpassing $1.2 billion in FY25, representing 23 percent year-on-year growth. Throughout her tenure, she developed a marketing model directly accountable to commercial performance metrics, emphasizing that marketing's primary purpose is driving sales rather than generating impressions.
Business Honor is of the view that Claire West's promotion to global marketing leadership represents a strategic change in GYG's approach to sustaining brand momentum during continued international expansion and operational scaling.
About the Author
Rohan Pius is an experienced news writer with extensive expertise across multiple sectors. He combines sharp analytical skills with thorough research to produce clear, insightful reporting on industry trends and their economic impact.
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