Exit interview: Linda Hassan reflects on 15 years at Domino's, and her next steps

After more than 15 years with Domino’s Pizza Malaysia, Singapore and Cambodia, former chief marketing officer Linda Hassan is finally closing a significant chapter of  her career.

Over the nearly three decades she has had in the workforce, with just two companies on her resume, Linda has been instrumental in shaping Domino’s into one of the most recognisable brands in the quick-service restaurant (QSR) space in Malaysia - despite its comparatively smaller store count.

Her QSR career began in 1997 at Burger King Malaysia as deputy director of marketing and procurement. She then joined Domino’s Malaysia as senior manager, later becoming SVP of marketing for Malaysia and Singapore in 2010, and was appointed group chief marketing officer in 2020, and Cambodia added to her remit.

During her tenure, Linda oversaw campaigns that pushed the boundaries of customer engagement, strengthened Domino’s digital capabilities, and built a distinctive brand voice in a competitive market. Reflecting on her journey, she told A+M that her time with Domino’s has been defined as much by the people she worked with as by the marketing milestones achieved.

Don't miss: Linda Hassan departs Domino's Pizza MY & SG

“In over 15 years, I have encountered many people, and my team has always been one of the biggest reasons I’ve stayed with Domino’s for so long. Teams come and go, but I’ve cherished every relationship and teamwork experience, as each person has brought unique value,” she shared.

Some members have been with her since her earliest days in the company, while others have grown into new roles under her mentorship. From call centre staff moving into digital leadership, to store operations personnel leading marketing campaigns or mastering data analytics.

She also credits the support from colleagues beyond her immediate team, including agency partners and the global Domino’s network.

“I owe much of our success to the supportive teamwork, clear goals, and shared vision fostered by these partnerships,” she said. Since announcing her departure, Linda has been touched by the flood of messages she has received:

I did not realise the impact I had on people. Not only professionally, but emotionally as well.

"My one sentence of reply to all of them is: ‘I am here because each of you has made a difference on me and I am here for each of you in whatever the future circumstances is,’” she said.

Linda also expressed gratitude to her long-time mentor, former group CEO Ba-U Shan Ting, whose encouragement and investment in her growth provided the management skills to complement her marketing expertise.

Key learnings from the journey

Over the years, Linda has developed a clear philosophy on what it takes to lead marketing teams effectively. She said:

At any point of time, marketing work is beyond a desk work. Some marketers got it wrong when it is about just making things viral or beautiful.

For her, marketing is as much about building credibility and brand love as it is about visibility – and that requires bridging knowledge gaps within teams and fostering a happy, motivated workforce.

“A happy team produces impactful, believable ideas and efforts will then flow naturally,” she added, noting that people must come before strategy, execution and cash, echoing the principles of Scaling Up by Verne Harnish.

Linda also emphasised the importance of mastering the fundamentals. She said that understanding the overall value stream in any business is crucial to creating impactful customer journeys. Quoting Simon Sinek, she added: “When people are financially invested, they want a return, when people are emotionally invested, they want to contribute.”

When it comes to working with agencies, Linda believes the right chemistry is everything. “It’s critical to either have enough internal capability or to choose the right partner to work with you to ensure that you design and implement the right ecosystem for your business,” she explained.

While Domino’s benefits from being a global brand, she cautioned that not every global formula fits every market, and that understanding local nuances and consumer behaviour is key to building brand love.

Something as simple as misunderstanding the differences between the 'what' (brand assets), and the 'how' (actual building of brand love), will deter engagement, preventing loyalty to the brand.

As for her leadership style, Linda is known for speaking up even when others hesitate. “Instead of being told and asking for permission, I decide and move even when I might not be 100% sure because 100% certainty only happens in hindsight,” she said. She describes herself as a risk taker who balances data and insights with experience, gut feel and a strong desire to win.

What's next for Linda?

For now, Linda is taking a pause. Something she has done only once before in her career.

“I want to take this opportunity to upskill myself in a few new areas, invest in myself and rebuild relationships, while continuing to do what I love most. And that is helping others,” she said.

She hopes to contribute her hands-on customer centricity, brand-building expertise and business acumen to help companies grow or turn around, while also mentoring the next generation of marketers.

Jobs are bound to come, but I just want to choose what is right, where I can make a difference.

Looking back, Linda feels she leaves Domino’s in a strong position. “I have seen this brand grew from a brand that is unknown 15 years ago and way below in ranking to a brand that now sits next to the biggest brand in the QSR industry despite a lower store count,” she said.

She closed with a quote that encapsulates her belief in the link between employee experience and customer loyalty: “The way your employee feels is the way you customers will feel. If employee doesn’t feel valued, neither will your customers.”

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