Healthy Habits appoints Merrill Pereyra as Managing Director
Merrill was previously the Assistant Vice President at McDonald's Pacific Islands.
Mr Pereyra now heads the Healthy Habits franchise chain as Managing Director and is looking forward to taking the brand to the next level. “It’s been around nineteen years, so its time to refresh the brand to a more modernised, fresher version which I plan to launch in June 2012. The board is excited and supportive of the strategic plan and I have grown brands innew territories for the past sixteen years, so this will be a wonderfully exciting new challenge,” said Mr Pereyra.
Mr Pereyra was born in Mumbai, India and has spent twenty-three years working his way up through the ranks of the well know Fortune 500 company, McDonalds. Most of his career he’s held senior positions with the McDonalds Corporation, a company he regards as having one of the most polarised brands in the world. He has dealt with currency devaluations, coups, natural disasters all in a days work, and sometime in countries as diverse as Saudi Arabia, Tahiti, America and Samoa.
In 2001, McDonald’s introduced the big and tasty burger and also gave Merrill the big and tasty “President’s Award” for the country’s highest achiever and performer. Fast forward nearly a decade, Merrill’s collaboration with McDonalds drew to a close as he wanted more time with his wife and children and time to realise his own dreams again.
He used this time to write his first book, “Expand Your Brand – How to Supersize Any Brand Anywhere in the World”, which is a must read for all franchisees, retailers and those thinking of moving into the industry. It will assist managers and executives to groom their business as well as excite and motivate. In this turbulent financial era it’s wise to pay attention to those who have forged a long-standing and outstanding success story. In twenty-three bit-size chunks you will learn how to super-size your business and your bank balance.
He’s also developed a robust program for fast tracking employees from functional leaders to Managing Directors and ensured the corporation had a robust Talent Management system in place to support the growth of Developmental Licensee's across a number of countries.
His previous positions include Regional Manager at McDonald's Greater Asia and Assistant Vice President at McDonald's Pacific Islands. He attended Wharton University of Pennsylvania, INSEAD and the Thunderbird School of Global Management and has a successful track record in setting up new businesses in six countries, from the Middle East to the South Pacific. His sound knowledge, grass roots experience and hands on approach helped build the Pacific business from zero to $65 million in 10 years with a NET income in excess of 12%.
