Two New Directors Join Oodles Head Office

Oodles is delighted to announce the appointment of Ian Jeffery as the Commercial & Global Director and Simon Robinson as the Operations Director to join the executive team at Oodles Head Office, with effect from 1st September 2022.

Ian will have full responsibility for leading the Oodles Business Development and Franchise Recruitment in the UK and internationally. Therefore, Ian will play a pivotal role in delivering the company’s ambitious strategy for growth, and will also be instrumental in building the Oodles Brand Strategy and Company’s outstanding reputation in the Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) market. One of his key priorities will be, to work collaboratively with Simon, to develop and build a strong and deep relationship with all key stakeholders, in particular our franchise partners across the Oodles network. Ian has over 15 years’ extensive knowledge and experience having worked with other leading brands within the QSR sector, in various senior commercial, business development and operational roles. Most recently, he was the Head of Global Development (UK & International) at Chicken Cottage, and prior to this, he was Head of Compliance Operations at Creams Franchising and Senior Operations Manager at Starbucks and KFC.

Simon, a former commercial pilot brings with him over 21 years of management and operational experience and expertise. He has successfully navigated his career to senior management roles in business development, operations, and compliance within the QSR and hospitality sectors, including working for reputable brands such as German Doner Kebab (GDK), Heavenly Desserts, and Starbucks among others. As Operations Director, Simon will oversee all operational elements of the business and help lead and support the business on its impressive growth plans. He will have overall responsibility for driving operational excellence throughout the Oodles Network by helping the business to consolidate and streamline operational and business processes to deliver seamless support, customer service and customer experience to both existing and new franchise bases.

Oodles Founder & CEO, Mohammed Shoyab Umar, commented:

“We have a very exciting time ahead of us at Oodles, as we bring our unique Indo-Chinese flavours to customers across the UK, while at the same time continuing to raise the bar for customer service and satisfaction in our business. We are delighted to welcome both Ian and Simon to the Oodles team, as they bring a wealth of industry experience and knowledge to the Oodles Brand. Their expertise will be extremely invaluable to the Oodles Network by providing franchise partners with ongoing business support and delivering operational efficiency, as well as achieving our ambitious plan to grow and develop the network to at least 100 stores by 2025”.


Ian Jeffery, Commercial and Global Director, commented:

“I am incredibly excited to be joining the Oodles family and looking forward to working with all of our Franchise partners and valued suppliers to accelerate the development of the brand both here in the UK and around the globe”


Simon Robinson, Operations Director, commented:

“I am absolutely delighted to be joining the team at Oodles Chinese. My international business experience working with world-class brands such as Starbucks, Heavenly Desserts and GDK lends me the experience required to help create a supportive and performance-driven culture. Together we will elevate the brand standards to become a respected international brand and create a consistent and positive experience for Oodles customers to become avid fans of the brand. Through a strategic approach, we will elevate both the customer experience and that of the franchisee. I look forward to supporting and working alongside the entire Oodles team as we expand the brand throughout the UK and beyond!”

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