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At just 35 years old, Damola Adamolekun is making his name in the restaurant industry. In September, the Nigerian-American business executive assumed the role as the youngest CEO of Red Lobster. Adamolekun accepted the job during a critical time for the company, which filed for bankruptcy in May.
Facing the challenge head-on, Adamolekun plans to revitalize the beloved seafood restaurant chain through strategies that include reducing the menu, ending the restaurant’s famous $20 endless shrimp deal, and livening up the design of dining areas. Adamolekun has a proven track record: he graduated from Harvard Business School, worked as an investment banking analyst with Goldman Sachs, and at age 30, became the first Black CEO of P.F. Chang’s. Under his leadership, the casual Asian fusion restaurant chain generated nearly $1 billion in yearly revenue. He’s hoping to bring similar success to Red Lobster, one of the first chain restaurants he ate at with his family after moving to the U.S. at nine years old.