Domino’s Pizza CEO Don Meige steps down after 22 years at the helm

The man credited with building Domino’s into Australia’s largest pizza chain and expanding the brand into Asia and key European markets is stepping down after more than two decades at the top.

Don Meij announced Tuesday that he will leave his nearly 40-year career at Domino’s Pizza Enterprises and hand over the reins to Mark van Dijk, who served as an adviser to the company’s board of directors last year.

Mr Meij will continue to work with the board over the next 12 months.

He said the decision to step down was not taken lightly, but now is the time to make way for new leadership.

“It has been an incredible honor to be a part of this company for the last 37 years and especially the last 22 years as CEO,” he said.

“Domino’s has truly become my life. When I started as a delivery driver in Redcliffe, Queensland, I had no idea that I would become the CEO of a truly global company with over $4 billion in sales.

“I have had the privilege of working with outstanding teams, franchise partners and customers. Many of the great people I’ve worked with have gone from team members to franchise partners or executives around the world.

“I leave knowing the business is well positioned for an exciting new chapter.”

Domino’s Pizza Enterprises is the largest pizza chain in Australia by both number of chain stores and chain sales. It is also the largest franchisee of the Domino’s Pizza brand in the world.

It owns exclusive master franchise rights to the Domino’s brand and chain in Australia, New Zealand, Belgium, France, the Netherlands, Japan, Germany, Luxembourg, Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore and Cambodia.

The company listed on the Australian Securities Exchange in 2005, has 387 stores and sales of $300 million. The company now operates more than 3,700 stores with sales of more than $4 billion.

Mr Meij’s sister, Kerry Hayman, was appointed chief executive of Australia and New Zealand in August after almost four decades with the company.

Domino’s chairman Jack Cowin paid tribute to Mr Meige’s “exceptional leadership and achievements”.

“Under his leadership, Domino’s Pizza Enterprises has grown from a Brisbane-based company to a truly global company – a market leader in each of the markets in which the company has operated for over three years in Europe and Asia Pacific,” Mr Cowin said . .

“Don has done an exceptional job of achieving positive results for all of our stakeholders, including franchise partners, shareholders and employees. He leaves behind an impressive legacy.”

Most recently, Mr van Dijk was Regional Managing Director, Asia Pacific, for UK foodservice multinational Compass Group. He led 66,000 employees in 11 countries and was responsible for serving more than 400 million meals a year. He will start with a base salary of $1.585 million plus short-term and long-term bonuses.

The news comes after Domino’s reported a poor start to the new financial year.

Same-store sales declined 1.2 percent in the first 17 weeks of FY25.

Sales in Germany remain negative after record sales the previous year but have improved since August trading.

Sales in France and Japan remain negative since the start of the year, with the company acknowledging that more work is required in the markets to achieve positive sales.