THE 35-YEAR-OLD CEO BEHIND RED LOBSTER’S RESURGENCE!
At 35, Damola Adamolekun became the youngest CEO of Red Lobster. Born in Nigeria and raised in Zimbabwe and the Netherlands, he moved to the U.S. at age nine, where Red Lobster became a favorite family dining spot.
Despite its popularity, the seafood chain faced significant challenges in recent years, including heavy losses after launching the “Ultimate Endless Shrimp” promotion, which ledto operational chaos, restaurant closures, and layoffs. By 2024, the company filed for bankruptcy.
Damola, who took over as CEO in August, plans to revitalize the brand through “incremental changes,” including a refresh of restaurant layouts and the dining experience to attract a younger audience.
He emphasizes that leadership is about experience and character, not age. Damola’s path to CEO began
after earning his MBA from Harvard in 2017 and joining Paulson & Co., where he helped expand
P.F. Chang’s delivery business. He later became CEO of P.F. Chang’s during the pandemic in 2020
before transitioning to Red Lobster.