Ex-Taylor's CMO Ben Foo joins multi-brand F&B retail group as CEO

Former Taylor's Education Group chief marketing officer Ben Foo (pictured) has joined Woodpeckers Group as its new chief executive officer.

The private group currently operates several notable F&B brands in Malaysia, including llaollao, ChaTraMue, Shae.co, fine dining restaurant TBC, and the Paddle & Pour cafe.

In conversation with A+M, Foo said he was drawn to Woodpeckers' scale, growth ambitions, and brand stories. “The founders have been courageous, entrepreneurial, and pioneering, bringing in brands such as llaollao and ChaTraMue from abroad into Malaysia.”

”That kind of vision and grit resonates deeply with me. The chance to now build on their foundation and take the group into its next chapter was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up,” added Foo. 

Don't miss: Taylor’s Education Group CMO Ben Foo departs after nine-year run

According to Woodpeckers' website, there are currently 120 llaollao outlets in Malaysia, while Shae.co, a coconut shake drinks store, opened its first outlet in Pavilion Damansara Heights in 2023. The F&B retail group also announced plans to open 40 ChaTraMue outlets by end 2024, after the Thai tea brand first entered the Malaysian market in 2023.

Reflecting on the transition from CMO to CEO, and from education back to F&B, Foo said his marketing background would shape his leadership approach. “Marketing is about deeply understanding people, anticipating their needs, and building experiences that matter. Any business that truly listens and acts on behalf of its customers is serious about serving the needs and aspirations of the community it operates in," he shared, adding that:

Whether in education or F&B, the principles are the same: create value that customers genuinely care about, align the organisation behind a clear story, and execute with discipline.

Foo added that his prior experiences have also taught him operational sharpness and perspective. “Moving across industries and staying close to the ground has helped build character, confidence, and leadership. Challenging circumstances shape you, and the diversity of views from people sharpens you.

According to Foo, such experiences prepares one to be a more empathetic leader while having the confidence, maturity and experience to lead others with conviction.

Prior to his nine years at Taylor's, Foo spent a collective five years at McDonald's as marketing director across two stints, and was also previously a brand manager for 100PLUS at F&N, and a managing partner at Cupcake Chic for three years.

Other than his prior roles in F&B, Foo also worked at Sara Lee Malaysia, Johnson & Johnson, Star Radio Group, and Holiday Tours & Travel.

Looking ahead, Foo said he is excited about the diversity and potential of Woodpeckers' brand portfolio, as well as the people behind them. “When people can connect their daily efforts to something bigger such as building a future for their families and the communities around them, that’s when culture comes alive. When that meaning compounds day by day, it creates not only stronger brands, but stronger people." he added.

Foo also shared his reflections on career progression and leadership:

Transitions like this remind me that careers are not linear. They’re chapters.

"At this stage, I’m less focused on functional titles and more focused on impact: Can I help scale a business? Can I shape brands that people truly care about? Can I build teams where talent feels energised and empowered? Those are the questions I’m carrying into Woodpeckers, and the work ahead excites me," he said.

Over the nine years he spent as CMO at Taylor's, Foo led the group’s commercial strategy and execution. He played a key role in pushing Taylor’s beyond Malaysia’s borders, strengthening its presence in China, Indonesia and India. Under his leadership, the university doubled its student enrolment numbers (the highest in its history) and accelerated a digital-first transformation that repositioned Taylor’s as one of the region’s top private education brands.

To the success, he credited the “incredible team of talented, driven individuals” he built over the years for embracing a customer-centric mindset and making the Taylor’s brand more relevant than ever. He told A+M exclusively then, that: "We didn’t just talk about education, we sparked conversations around social issues, women’s empowerment, sustainability, and more. Always striving to be bold, honest and human."

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