Luxury dessert restaurant group, Heavenly Desserts, has appointed longstanding team manager Wesley Williams into the new role of national operations manager, as the growing franchise lays the foundations for rapid growth in the UK and overseas.
Following nearly three successful years as area manager in London and the South of England, Mr Williams will now play a pivotal head office role to bolster the internal structure of the business.
He will provide a senior touchpoint for his team of three area managers and work on executing key campaigns with the team and its franchise partners to supercharge growth across the brand’s estate.
The group has also appointed a new area manager, Marc Pantling, who will replace Mr Williams as the day-to-day support for its franchise partners in London and the South.
Bringing a wealth of experience from 30 years in the sector, he has worked his way from the shop floor to head office, giving him an understanding of the franchise business model from both sides.
Mr Pantling brings a broad skillset, refined by his experience growing the presence of big international brands in the UK, such as Everyman Cinema and Smash Burger.
Mr Williams said: “I’m proud to be taking on the new role of national operations manager and am really looking forward to better supporting the head office team and the wonderful franchise partners that make the Heavenly Desserts mission possible. Having worked not only with the southern region but also with partners in the North and Midlands during my time at the business, I’ve had the benefit of understanding the motivations of our partners across the whole network. This puts me in a valuable position to be able to develop our offering further.
“I’m incredibly passionate about making Heavenly Desserts the best brand to work in, dine in, and invest in, and by focussing on maximising opportunities at the restaurant level, executing seasonal campaigns successfully, and facilitating greater connection across both the HQ and restaurant teams, I’m confident that we can make history, together.”
Heavenly Desserts has grown to almost 60 restaurants in the UK and has major plans to expand internationally following its launch in Missisauga, Canada last year, with operations manager Nick Gemmel positioned to support the growing opportunities in Pakistan, India and the US.
Yousif Aslam, co-managing director of Heavenly Desserts, said: “Wesley has been nothing short of an asset to the business and a hugely valuable touchpoint for our London and Southern-based franchise owners since he began with the brand. His promotion is exciting for all of us, as it signals the growth that Heavenly Desserts has experienced of late. The team had reached a point at which it needed to expand to create that internal foundation that would allow us to continue our exciting plans for expansion.
“We also look forward to having Marc join the team to further enhance our presence in London and the South. His skills from an impressive three decades in the sector will no doubt strengthen our team further and allow us to continue giving the right level of support to the partners on the ground. We wish them both luck in their new positions and look forward to watching the operations team flourish.”