Sodexho has appointed Husein Kitabwalla senior vice president of its Retail Brand Group. He joined the company in 1999 and most recently served as vice president of operations and brand development for RBG. In his new role, Kitabwalla will oversee the operations of more than 500 sites, as well as the continued growth and development of additional company-managed and franchised locations in North America. He will also lead RBG’s efforts in developing new retail concepts for SodexhoMagic, LLC, the joint venture between former NBA star Earvin “Magic” Johnson and Sodexho, RBG’s parent company. The concepts in development include the Magic Johnson Sports Bar, the Magic Johnson Marketplace and a Magic Johnson-inspired version of the RBG’s SubConnection sandwich concept.
“Husein has been the driving force and passionate spirit behind the development of RBG’s most successful brands,” says Michael Montelongo, Sodexho’s senior vice president of strategic marketing. “His considerable brand development experience and outstanding leadership skills make Husein the clear choice to lead and expand this successful business to new heights of growth and recognition in both our core channels and the retail marketplace.” Before joining Sodexho, Kitabwalla was an operations manager at Disneyland, where he managed six restaurants on the resort’s Main Street USA park.