Bloomin’ Brands Int’l. Appoints President

Bloomin’ Brands EVP Pat Murtha has been named president of Bloomin’ Brands International. Murtha will be responsible for helping define, develop and implement the international growth strategy for Bloomin’ Brands, and will be a member of the executive leadership team.

Prior to joining Bloomin’ Brands, Murtha held leadership roles at Yum! Brands, where he spent 17 years in posts including chairman and managing director of KFC Japan Ltd., COO of Pizza Hut and chief people officer of Yum! Restaurants International.

Bloomin’ Brands has a portfolio including Bonefish Grill, Carrabba’s Italian Grill, Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse, Outback Steakhouse and Wine Bar and Roy’s. Tampa, Fla.-based Bloomin’ Brands owns and operates nearly 1,500 restaurants in 48 states, Puerto Rico, Guam and 21 countries. It recently acquired a controlling interest in its 47-unit Outback Steakhouse operations in Brazil. It now holds a 90% interest in its 16-year-old joint venture there.