Our Founder and President Damola Adamolekun is the Chief Executive Officer of the beloved global restaurant chain Red Lobster, where he leads the company in strategic initiatives ensuring the continued growth and success of one of the most important hospitality brands in the world. Mr. Adamolekun has been recognized by Fortune Magazine as one of the 100 most powerful people in business.

Mr. Adamolekun also previously served as a Chief Executive Officer and Director of P.F. Chang's, and as a Partner at Paulson & Co., a New York based investment firm and the principal owner of P.F. Chang’s, where he played a vital role in the sourcing and subsequent management of several of the firm’s largest investments with a focus on hospitality and healthcare services. Mr. Adamolekun also served as an Operating Partner at Garnett Station Partners.

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Mr. Adamolekun has been featured in numerous publications including the Wall Street Journal, Today Show, CBS Evening News, CNN, USA Today, Fortune, Forbes, Business Insider, Fox Business, Bloomberg News, Yahoo Finance, CNBC, Nation’s Restaurant News, Time Out New York, New York Business Journal, and the Harvard Business Review.

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Previously, Mr. Adamolekun has worked in the Investment Banking Division of Goldman Sachs and as a Private Equity Associate at TPG Capital. Mr. Adamolekun serves on the board of P.F. Chang’s, Inday, and the National Restaurant Association, and has previously served on the board of directors of International Tower Hill Mines (NYSE: THM) from and as a Board Observer for Bausch Health Companies (NYSE: BHC).

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Mr. Adamolekun has previously been recognized with three GLOBEE Leadership Gold awards for CEO of the Year: Food and Beverage, CEO of the Year: Hospitality, Travel, Recreation, Leisure, and Top CEO of the Year: The Rising Star, as well as a GLOBEE Leadership Silver award for CEO Achievers: Transformational Leader of the Year, and was named in Nation’s Restaurant News’ Power List among the most innovative and inspiring leaders in the restaurant industry.

Mr. Adamolekun received a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Political Science from Brown University, where he was a member of the Ivy League champion Brown Football team and served as President of the Brown Investment Group, and a Master of Business Administration from Harvard Business School, where he served as Portfolio Manager for the HBS Investment Club.