Fastfood conglomerate CMO enjoys early retirement at 50

DONDI Gomez, the chief marketing officer of the Jollibee Group of Companies took an early retirement at age 50 to enjoy life as a regular family man.

As the top marketing guy, Gomez established the company’s Global Marketing Division and institutionalized the “Jollibee Group Way of Marketing” that has driven the success of the restaurant conglomerate’s 16 brands across 34 countries around the world, including the Philippines.

“It is one of the greatest honors of my life to have been part of the Jollibee Group’s global success story in the last 15 years. Although I am retiring early to spend more time with my loved ones, I am confident that I am leaving the Jollibee Group in the capable hands of world-class marketeers who will take the company to greater heights with the marketing capabilities we have successfully instituted for more than a decade,” he said.

Gomez led the Jollibee Brand’s International Marketing Strategy, elevating Jollibee to a global brand with substantial local mainstream patronage in North America, Europe, Middle East, and Asia. Before that, Gomez served as the company’s youngest corporate officer and executive team member soon after he joined the conglomerate in 2008.

He was also instrumental to the success of acquired businesses such as Mang Inasal, Red Ribbon, Burger King, Highlands Coffee Vietnam, Yonghe King China, and Smashburger USA, to name a few. Through his marketing leadership, many of Jollibee Group’s brands have become market leaders in their respective categories and geographies.

More recently, Gomez led the marketing pivot strategy during the pandemic, which was critical in the Jollibee Group’s strong recovery in 2021 and record- breaking business performance in 2022.

“Dondi’s gift of marketing leadership, collaborative approach to problem solving, and compassion for our people have been instrumental to Jollibee Group’s success in the past fifteen years,. I am deeply thankful to Dondi for his devotion to the company, our customers, and our people. I wish him well on his long-planned adventure with his family,” said Jollibee group chief executive officer Ernesto Tanmantiong.