Pirata Group names experienced marketer Steen Puggaard as CEO

Hong Kong-based restaurant group Pirata Group has appointed Burger King Scandinavia CEO Steen Puggaard as CEO. He will succeed co-founder Manuel Palacio, who will transition to the position of chairman of the board. Puggaard will be tasked in managing Pirata Group’s day-to-day operations as well as its planned expansion. Working closely with Palacio, Puggaard will step into the CEO role on 18 July 2022.

A senior executive and marketer with 25 years of experience building both blue-chip brands as well as local and regional start-ups in Asia, Puggaard has managed, operated and invested in a range of F&B businesses in corporate environments and with founder-led businesses. This includes individual mid-market and fine-dining restaurant concepts such as Les Amis Group in Singapore as well as multi-outlet brands such as McDonald’s, Burger King, 4Fingers and Costa Coffee across Southeast Asia and in his native Scandinavia.  

In a prior interview with MARKETING-INTERACTIVE, Puggaard shared that brands today need to demonstrate loyalty towards customers, rather than expecting customers to be loyal to the brand. He said that this is because consumers today have a myriad of choices and are quick to evaluate what is in it for them. If there is nothing, they will move on. According to Puggaard, companies in the food and beverage industry need to think beyond food because food fads come and go. Companies need to increasingly focus on establishing their identity amidst the white noise and in a market so saturated with choices and established food chains.

With his current appointment, he said: “I have immense respect for what Palacio and the group have been able to build and achieve thus far, and I’m looking forward to working with the team to expand the business even further. What drew me to this role in particular was the ability to apply all of my previous experience to building on Pirata Group’s outstanding commitment to its people and guests.”

The management change comes as Pirata Group managed to overcome tremendous market challenges to deliver 13 new properties over the course of 2021 and 2022, setting itself on a trajectory of accelerated growth. With the shuffle, co-founder Palacio will officially assume the role of chairman of the board and will focus on providing strategic advice as the group embarks on its expansion.

Commenting on Puggaard's appointment, Palacio said: “Pirata Group has seen great success since we opened our first restaurant back in 2014 and, having been fortunate to withstand the difficulties of the past few years, we are more committed than ever to serving our guests in Hong Kong and beyond. We are now building for the future and taking steps to bolster our management experience. Steen is a very experienced leader who has the knowledge and expertise to drive our local and international expansion. He also shares our passion for culture and people, and the belief that people come first, followed by the guests – and business success is the outcome of the first two done right."

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