Leadership

Tim Hortons names Axel Schwan U.S. and Canada president

The coffee and doughnut chain's former global chief marketing officer will oversee the chain’s biggest market.

Tim Hortons this week promoted Axel Schwan to regional president of its U.S. and Canada business, giving him oversight over the chain’s biggest markets.

The company’s former global chief marketing officer will continue to report to Alex Macedo, Tim Hortons brand president.

Schwan joined Tim Hortons parent company Restaurant Brands International as marketing director for its Burger King brand in Germany, Austria and Switzerland eight years ago. He joined Tim Hortons in 2017 as its global CMO.

Macedo credited Schwan for working on Tims’ product innovation pipeline and its brand-based advertising.

The promotion signals Tim Hortons’ global growth. The company is increasingly focused on building its business in international markets, notably China.

It also makes Schwan an important figure for the chain, which has 4,000 of its 4,800 locations in Canada, by far the company’s biggest market.

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