Burger King chief resigns abruptly

MIAMI — Burger King Corp.'s president has resigned amid declining sales for the struggling fast-food chain, the nation's second largest burger company behind McDonald's Corp.

In a voicemail to company employees Tuesday, chief executive Brad Blum announced Bob Nilsen's resignation "with mixed emotions."

"Going forward, we will remain relentlessly focused to realize success," Blum said in the voicemail, according to a transcript provided by the Miami-based chain. Blum said he would announce later this week the company's "new operations leadership structure."

Burger King spokesman Rob Doughty had no further comment Wednesday on the resignation.

Blum, who had hired Nilsen to be his second-in-command a month after joining the chain in January 2003, did not explain the reason for Nilsen's abrupt resignation or indicate a replacement.

Nilsen is a graduate of Highland High School, the University of Utah and Harvard University. In an interview with the Deseret Morning News shortly after he took the helm at Burger King, Nilsen said he had high hopes for the company.

"It's a great brand," he said. "There's a new group of owners in place. There's a new ownership structure, with tremendous opportunities for growth."

Nilsen, former chief operating officer of Taco Bell, supervised the operations of all franchise and company restaurants and served on the company's board with Blum.

The resignation came weeks after Blum fired the company's lead creative advertising agency. Crispin Porter + Bogusky was named to replace WPP Group's Young & Rubicam in handling Burger King's estimated $320 million account on Jan. 22.

The reconfiguration of Burger King's advertising roster was the company's fifth since 2000, and second since Blum has run the company.

Marketing efforts have been largely unsuccessful at the company's 11,335 restaurants. Burger King sales declined nearly 2 percent to $11.1 billion in the fiscal year ended June 30, and industry analysts said the fall has continued.

Nilsen had been optimistic when talking with the Morning News last year.