Krispy Kreme ANZ has appointed Nicola Steele, who has been with the company since she was 19, as its new CEO, effective immediately.

Steele has worked with Krispy Kreme since 2006, rising through the ranks from crew member to store manager and area manager. She left university in 2011 and returned to Krispy Kreme as a state manager before progressing to senior leadership positions including national operations manager and head of retail & development, where she was instrumental in the brand’s expansion into Western Australia and New Zealand. 

Steele increased Krispy Kreme’s ANZ retail footprint over the next eight years before being appointed to COO in March last year.

“My focus is to broaden the horizons of career pathways for our employees,” she said. 

“I want to be able to offer all team members development and career opportunities that were afforded to me.” 

With the new role, Steele is in charge of the brand’s expansion, including concentrating on regional growth, establishing convenience partnerships, as well as investing in e-commerce and digital platforms.