David Jordan, General Manager of Baskin Robbins
On passion, improving skill sets and celebrating history.
QSR Media: What makes you excited about your position?
David Jordan: Baskin-Robbins is the world’s largest ice cream brand. We are only just at the beginning of our journey here in Australia. We now have over 85 stores and plan to double this footprint over the next five years. We have an amazing team at the support centre and our Franchise Partners are exceptionally passionate about our brand and products. Everything is in place for continued growth and success.
QSR Media: What 3 goals are you focused on?
Jordan: 1. Building our brand presence in Australia and positioning ourselves as “Australia’s favourite ice cream”.
2. Driving Franchise Partner profitability, creating great development programs for both our Franchise Partners and Support Centre Team, ensuring we continue to improve skills sets, competencies and knowledge bases.
3. In collaboration with our Franchise Partners, creating and implementing strategies which will ensure growth and continued success for their stores as well as the Baskin-Robins brand.
QSR Media: What long-term changes are you planning on?
Jordan: As with all brands there is an evolutionary process which sees minor adaptions occur due to industry trends or market conditions, however, we do not see these as significant changes to our overall brand focus.
We have a long-standing rich heritage and we feel there is a great deal to celebrate around this rich past. We see significant opportunity to recognise this history in our future store designs and brand experience.
QSR Media: What are your key business philosophies?
Jordan: I learnt early in my management career the value of honesty and integrity. I endeavour to hold these two values at the forefront of my actions.
It is these virtues that when combined creates credibility. I believe the teams that I have worked with over the past decade have embraced these philosophies and in turn this has created engagement and ownership at not only a leadership level but throughout the organisations.
In my experience, it is this ownership and engagement combined with a clear strategy that has always maintained a brands’ competitive advantage.
QSR Media: What previous positions prepared you for this one and how
Jordan: I am fortunate to have held positions where I have had some great leaders to learn from and be inspired by. I have had a varied leadership career working with a national QSR franchise chain as GM, working with an award winning Bar and Restaurant group as GM and most recently as Operations Manager for the Coles Group Hotels. I was fortunate to be part of the Coles Group when the business was undergoing a major transformation and turnaround, and I gained insight into the importance of organisational culture in delivering shareholder growth. The value the Group placed on their people, training and focus on strategy implementation was highlighted daily. It was a great company to work for and I leverage this knowledge in my current role as GM of Baskin-Robbins Australia.
