American restaurant holding company Bloomin' Brands has appointed Michael Spanos as its new CEO from 3 September 2024.

Spanos will also join the company's board of directors.

His appointment follows former Bloomin’ Brands CEO David Deno's announcement of his planned retirement as CEO and board member in May 2024.

Bloomin’ Brands Board chairman Michael Mohan said: “We have found an ideal strategist, operations and cultural leader in Mike.

“Our board believes that his experience operating complex, multi-unit businesses will benefit our iconic, founder-inspired brands.

“He has a customer-first mindset for leading established organisations through challenging environments. We look forward to his contributions to Bloomin’ Brands.”

Spanos previously served as executive vice-president and chief operating officer at Delta Air Lines, leading a team of 90,000 employees and focusing on global operations and customer experience.

Before joining Delta, he had a notable tenure as president and CEO of Six Flags Entertainment and spent more than 25 years at PepsiCo and the Pepsi Bottling Group.

He served as president for Greater China and Asia Middle East, as North Africa sector CEO, and as North American beverages chief customer officer.

In addition to his executive roles, Spanos also serves as a non-executive director at Casey's General Store and is an active member of the Audit Committee.

Spanos said: “It is a privilege to be part of the Bloomin’ Brands team. We have such a classic set of heritage brands that my family and I have enjoyed over many years.

“I am excited to work together with our team members to deliver an outstanding guest experience. I thank David Deno for his leadership of our people and look forward to a smooth transition.”