Red Lobster CEO Explains Post-Bankruptcy Strategy

Just 35 years old, new Red Lobster CEO Damola Adamolekun speaks to an interviewer about his plan to turn around the restaurant chain, including a few communication strategies.

Hired by a private equity firm, Adamolekun, the fifth CEO in five years, will implement plans that worked to bring P. F. Chang’s back from bankruptcy. He speaks with enthusiasm and confidence about the brand, saying, “This could be the greatest comeback in the history of the restaurant industry.” When the interviewer noted, “It’s not an easy environment right now. You’re coming in at a tough time.” Adamolekun wasn’t defensive and instead acknowledged the reality and then transitioned to his history of success: “It’s a challenged industry. But I took over P. F. Chang’s during COVID; I’m used to entering at a tough time.”

In addition to his own presentation, he describes a few plans that illustrate what we teach in business communication classes. One focus will be improving the menu “layout, the aesthetics, the photography.” He cites reducing the number of items and the order—the greatest value, he says, is currently buried on page 3.

The video includes a few simple graphics: a timeline of CEOs, a bar chart showing more restaurant chain bankruptcies than in 2020, and the increasing cost of shrimp, a staple of Red Lobster and possibly it’s downfall because of the all-you-can-eat offer.

This example shows how a CEO creates a positive message given a bleak situation.