Gympie Domino’s owner David Furness promoted to chief executive of company

The owner of Gympie’s Domino’s Pizza store has been appointed to a powerful new position within the company following an internal reshuffle.

Gympie Domino's franchisee David Burness has been appointed to a prominent new role within the company following a reshuffle.

A former Queensland delivery driver has been appointed as a top lieutenant to Domino’s Pizza boss Don Meij as the company moves to double in size over the next decade.

The Brisbane-based fast food giant on Tuesday announced a major reshuffle of its management team, with David Burness taking on the powerful position of chief executive for Domino’s Australian and New Zealand operations.

Burness, who replaces Nick Knight, started as a delivery driver for Silvio’s Dial-A-Pizza in 1991 before becoming a franchise consultant and serving as chief operations officer for the Domino’s business in the Netherlands.

He owns seven Domino’s stores on the Sunshine Coast with his wife Melissa and their four children all work in the business. Dubbed “Mr and Mrs Pizza” the couple last year were awarded the fast food company‘s most prestigious award, a Global Leadership Eagle.

Other management changes will see Domino’s Japan chief executive and president Josh Kilimnik take on the expanded role of chief executive of Asia Pacific (APAC).

Current Japan chief marketing officer Todd Reilly will become chief marketing officer for APAC while Europe chief commercial officer Nicky Claeys will perform an expanded role in that region.

Meij says the changes, which focus on expansion in Asia and Europe, would provide Domino’s with a platform on which to build a business double its size over the next decade.

Gympie Domino's franchisees David and Melissa Burness with Domin's Group CEO and Managing Director Don Mei.

“The Europe and APAC regions each have a population base of about 180 million people with significant opportunity for both organic growth and acquisitions,” says Meij.

“As we accelerate to 2030 and beyond, we will grow much larger businesses in both regions, with each planned to be bigger than the entire company of today.”

Domino’s shares have more than doubled over the past year as the company benefited from growing demand for home delivery during the pandemic.

Thirty-eight year old Knight will leave the company after a career that started waving promo boards for Domino’s as a 13-year-old in his home town. He left the company after school for two years but returned to Domino’s helping franchisees set up shop.

“Nick grew to become a store manager, one of the best multi-unit franchisees in Domino’s globally, and then an executive, where he has spearheaded a strategic improvement in our franchisee base,” says Meij.

“It is never easy to farewell a true Dominoid like Nick – but the measure of success of a leader is the team they inspire, and Nick has built a formidable team.”