Resignation by BreadTalk’s group CEO
BreadTalk Group’s group CEO Henry Chu announced his resignation on Aug 15, citing personal and health reasons. The resignation will be effective from the end of the year.
BreadTalk’s founder and executive chairman George Quek will take over as interim CEO until another candidate is found.
This would be the shortest tenure among BreadTalk’s past group CEOs. Oh Eng Lock – whom Chu succeeded – served as group CEO from Jan 2011 to Jun 2017. Goh Tong Pak – Oh’s predecessor – served as group CEO from Jan 2008 to Jan 2011, and still remains as President of Special Projects under the Chairman’s office of BreadTalk.
Chu was appointed to the current position as group CEO in July 2017, taking over Oh Eng Lock as part of BreadTalk Group’s leadership renewal process.
Prior to that, Chu had worked as BreadTalk’s group managing director from Oct 2016 to Jun 2017, and as the CEO of the bakery division from May 2010 to April 2012. Between May 2012 and Sep 2016, Chu was a general manager at Maxim’s Caterers, a Hong Kong based Japanese restaurant chain in China.
As BreadTalk’s group MD, Chu had overseen the group’s global food and beverage (F&B) operations which included the Bakery, Food Atrium, and Restaurants core business segments, and all F&B-related investments. He also led the team responsible for rebranding RamenPlay to speciality ramen restaurant chain So Ramen, and opened the group’s first BreadTalk outlet in Yangon, Myanmar.
As group CEO, he was responsible for overseeing BreadTalk’s global operations in the areas of strategic planning, investments, business development and region expansion. The partnership with Wu Pao Chun Bakery and Song Fa Bak Kut Teh, and the expansion into London and Cambodia had happened during his tenure.
Chu was also involved in setting up BreadTalk’s 4orth division, which comprises food concepts and both self-owned and franchised brands, including So Ramen.
Weak financial performance in 2Q2019
Chu’s resignation may have come at a bad time for the F&B group.
BreadTalk Group’s 2Q 2019 results were lacklustre, to say the least. Earnings fell 58% y-o-y to $1 million, even as revenue rose 9.8% y-o-y to $163.3 million.
The earnings drag resulted from losses at its bakery operations and higher than anticipated startup costs at its 4orth division. The bakery division incurred losses of $1.9 million due to the consolidation of its loss-making Thailand bakery business, and the persistently weak China operations.
The 4orth division’s losses widened further with the opening of new stores. Of its 5 brands – So Ramen, Song Fa, Tai Gai, Nayuki, and Wu Pao Chun – only So Ramen is profitable.
The group’s bright spots were its Food Atrium and Restaurants business segments.
RHB research analyst Juliana Cai thinks the group will need “a few more quarters to revive the stale bread”. “Despite a disappointing set of results, we maintain our Neutral call as we see potential for earnings to recover next year, led by the expected turnaround at its 4orth division and contributions from new Din Tai Fung restaurants.” RHB has a target price of 71 cents for BreadTalk Group.
BreadTalk's circumstances is probably not too different from what wrecked Creative, IPC Corp, Aztech, Hyflux etc.
He resigned due to health issues? Oh come on we weren't born yesterday. :P
If bread can fucking talk, then my cock can sing.