Burger King chief marketer (CMO) Pat O’Toole has left the QSR and joined Unleashed Brands as its new chief marketing officer, the company revealed on Thursday.

At Unleashed Brands, O’Toole will oversee the marketing efforts of more than 1,300 franchises with a mission to help kids learn, play, and grow.

The youth-enrichment company, which was launched in 2021, includes brands such as Urban Air Adventure Park, The Little Gym, Sylvan Learning, and Water Wings Swim School, among others.

“I am thrilled to join Unleashed Brands and contribute to its mission of building world-class brands that shape the next generation,” O’Toole said in a statement. “Unleashed Brands is making a real difference in the lives of children and families, and I look forward to helping expand that impact and drive meaningful growth across our brands.”

Prior to joining Unleashed Brands, O’Toole was the CMO at Burger King for two years, where he helped grow traffic, accelerate sales growth, and amplify the advancements the company was making to enhance the guest experience as part of its “Reclaim the Flame” strategy.

The initiative, which Burger King announced in September 2023, saw the Whopper maker invest $400 million over two years into the business. 

It dogeared roughly $150 million for advertising, while the remaining $250 million went toward digital investments like restaurant technology, kitchen equipment, building enhancements, and high-quality remodels and relocations.

Before he joined Burger King, O’Toole served as the CMO of PepsiCo’s Mountain Dew brand for just over a year. In total, O’Toole spent nearly 15 years at PepsiCo, starting off as an associate marketing manager in 2008. Before that, he spent time as a marketing manager for General Electric.

“Pat brings a wealth of experience in brand strategy, innovation and franchise marketing leadership, making him a valuable addition to our leadership team,” said Michael Browning, Jr., founder and chief executive of Unleashed Brands. 

“Marketing is at the core of Unleashed Brands’ growth and we have ambitious goals for 2025 that rely on leveraging data-driven insights and innovative strategies to move our brands forward,” he continued.