Mexican fast food chain Guzman y Gomez has kicked off 2017 with a new Chief Marketing Officer, Lara Thom.

“Lara is industry leading talent who can leverage the GYG story with our customers in a disruptive way and with technology at the heart of it. We were overwhelmed by the quality of applicants who wanted to work with GYG” said Guzman y Gomez’s chief executive officer for ANZ, Mark Hawthorne.

“In ten years, GYG has opened 79 taquerias in Australia, as well as five in Singapore and four in Japan. We’re not slowing down, with plans to open 20 more across Australia in 2017 and most will be Drive Thru.”

“As we grow, we’re adding new members of the GYG family who understand and share our vision for serving Australians healthy, quality food that can be just as quick and convenient as fast food. Lara has the perfect combination of digital know-how, food expertise and personality to help make GYG the industry leader,” Mark added.

Thom joins Guzman y Gomez, after a period as general manager of digital and marketing for Vittoria Food & Beverage.

Importantly, Thom is an entrepreneur at heart and will add a powerful founder led mentality to the GYG Leadership. Having launched several successful ventures, including digital agency Be.Interactive which was sold to Salmat in 2010, babywear brand “L’il Fraser Collection” and the “Junior MasterChef” range of children’s cookware and aprons, Lara is well placed to keep the entrepreneurial spirit of invention and expansion at the core of GYG’s marketing.

“Anyone who has spent more than a few seconds speaking with Guzman y Gomez founders, Steven Marks and Robert Hazan & CEO Mark Hawthorne will understand why I have joined GYG. Their uncompromising approach to quality, entrepreneurial spirit, founder led passion, agility and operational expertise are a rare combination” said Guzman y Gomez, chief marketing officer for ANZ, Lara Thom.

“The commitment GYG has to serving healthy, real food in a fast food industry is unrivalled, it’s a story we can’t wait to tell” Thom said.