Yahoo nabs ex-Taco Bell VP of digital innovation as new global chief marketing officer

Yahoo has appointed Tressie Lieberman (pictured) as its new chief marketing officer, after an extensive search process as stated by the company in a statement. She will report directly to Yahoo CEO Jim Lanzone.

Lieberman brings over twenty years of traditional and digital marketing experience with her, having worked onmajor consumer brands such as Chipotle, Taco Bell, and Pizza Hut. 

As Yahoo’s CMO, Lieberman will be responsible for overseeing all aspects of the company's global marketing strategies, brand positioning, user acquisition and customer engagement initiatives. Consequently, she will play a pivotal role in shaping the brand’s direction and growth strategy.

"To say Lieberman stood out during our search process would be a massive understatement," said Jim Lanzone, CEO of Yahoo. 

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“Lieberman's combination of core marketing skills, leadership and people skills, and strategic creativity - especially in digital and social channels - are extremely rare. She is also uniquely inspired by the chance to take the Yahoo brand to new heights, just like myself and the rest of our executive team. We can’t wait to give the keys to Lieberman and watch her drive the brand forward in the years ahead,” Lanzone added.

Prior to Yahoo, Lieberman was at Chipotle, where she was vice president of digital marketing and off-premise from 2018 to 2023, as seen on her LinkedIn page.

According to a release to the press, while at Chipotle, Lieberman ignited the brand’s digital transformation by driving new customer growth and brand relevance. She launched and scaled the Chipotle Rewards program from zero to 33 million members, making it one of the industry’s most prolific loyalty programs. 

Under her leadership, Chipotle became one of Gen Z’s leading brands, as well as an early leader on new platforms such as Roblox, Discord and BeReal – while shattering sales records with influencer collaborations across TikTok. Her approach to viral, social-driven content led to over four billion views for a single campaign, while supporting meaningful sales growth. Lieberman oversaw integrated campaigns and delivery partnerships that contributed to the brand’s nearly five time increase in digital revenue during her tenure.

Prior to Chipotle, Liebermann was at Taco Bell from 2012 to 2016 where she held the roles of director social and digital marketing, senior director of digital experience and social engagement before being promoted to the role of VP of digital innovation and on demand. Lieberman also served as VP of digital innovation and on-demand at Taco Bell, driving social media and influencer strategy, as well as establishing the company’s first-mover e-commerce and digital media delivery partnership strategy. When she joined Taco Bell, the QSR brand was most familiar with Gen X, but had yet to tap into the millennial audience.

She moved to Taco Bell from Pizza Hut, which she joined in 2006 till 2012. At Pizza Hut, she held the roles of associate manager of digital marketing, manager of digital marketing and senior manager of digital marketing.

“I have always been drawn to the Yahoo brand - not only for its strong legacy, but for its immense potential,” said Lieberman. “The opportunity to push the boundaries and take the brand into the future is a dream. I couldn't be more excited to work with Lanzone and his team to steer the path they’ve set forth through disruptive campaigns that engage with culture in new and exciting ways. With a wealth of beloved and compelling brands, the sky is truly the limit for the new Yahoo, and I can’t wait to get started,” she shared.

On the acquisition front, Yahoo took a 25% stake in content discovery and ad network Taboola recently. In exchange for this move, Taboola has become Yahoo’s native advertising partner through a 30-year commercial agreement.

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