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Don is the Group CEO and Managing Director of Domino's Pizza Enterprises Ltd (DPE), Australia's largest and first publicly listed pizza chain.
Under his leadership, the Company has grown into a thriving international enterprise with more than 3,750 outlets across thirteen markets (Australia, New Zealand, Belgium, France, The Netherlands, Japan, Germany, Luxembourg, Denmark, Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore and Cambodia). It is the biggest Domino's business in the world outside the United States - with eight pizzas sold every second and network sales north of AUD$4B
Don's inspiring journey from pizza delivery driver to global pizza mogul is one of relentless focus and determination, a desire to crush convention, to build great teams and culture, and, above all, to continually strive to make the customer experience better.
Don discovered his appetite for the pizza business in 1987 in the small seaside suburb of Redcliffe, Queensland, where he worked part-time for Silvio's Dial-a-Pizza (Silvio's) while studying to become a high school teacher.
He quickly rose through the management ranks at Silvio's, which later acquired the Domino's brand in Australia. In 1996 Don opened his first Domino's store in Caboolture, Queensland, and within five years he had 17 stores to his name.
In 2001 he used his stores as equity for a stake in Domino's Pizza Australia Pty Ltd and became Group Chief Executive Officer the following year.
In 2003, Don took the Company global by opening the first Domino's store in New Zealand.
In 2005, he led Domino's to become Australia's first publicly listed pizza chain on the ASX.
In 2006, the Company expanded into France, Belgium, the Netherlands, and the principality of Monaco. It would later add Japan (2013), Germany (2015), Luxembourg (2018), Denmark (2019), Taiwan (2021), Singapore and Malaysia (2022), and Cambodia (2023) to the portfolio.
Don's obsession with getting piping hot pizzas out of the oven and into customers' hands as quickly and as safely as possible has not only helped drive DPE's extraordinary growth and success, but also established the Company as an industry leader in food innovation and technology.
DPE boasts many world-first initiatives including GPS Driver Tracker, autonomous pizza delivery vehicles and drones, DOM Pizza Checker, which uses artificial intelligence to improve the quality and consistency of your pizza order, and even technology that can predict what pizza you're going to order for dinner before you do.
The Group are also renowned for setting the fastest delivery times on the planet, with Don launching the game-changing Project 3TEN initiative in 2016 with a goal for every store to be delivering safely in under 10 minutes and providing carry-out in three.
In recent years, Don has helped mobilise management teams, franchisees, and team members from across the world to become Domino's for Good.
From expanding the Company's charitable projects and programs, to working to reduce DPE's environmental footprint, Don is committed to empowering all levels of the business to 'do the right thing because it is the right thing to do'.
In 2020, DPE donated more than 200,000 safe, hot meals to those on the frontline of the COVID-19 pandemic and established 'Feed the Knead' - a locally run program where stores identify the 'knead' in their communities and provide support through free pizza.
In 2021, the Company released its inaugural sustainability report, which documents DPE's environment, social and governance (ESG) efforts so far and the ambitious goals it has for the future in areas including energy efficiency and waste reduction, workplace diversity, ethical food sourcing, and community giving. In 2022, Domino's was recognised as Corporate Philanthropist of the Year by the Queensland Community Foundation.
Don is passionate about this exciting new chapter in the Domino's story and looks forward to continuing to realise the Company's potential as not only one of the most successful pizza franchises in the world, but also the valuable contribution it can make as a responsible and innovative corporate citizen.
AWARDS
A selection of awards Don Meij has won:
- 1996 Pizza International Manager of the Year
- 2004 The Ernst & Young Australian Young Entrepreneur of the Year
- 2004 Chairman's Award for Outstanding Leadership in the Domino's worldwide network
- 2004 Australian Institute of Management (AIM) Professional Manager of the Year
- 2015 Brisbane Lord Mayor's Channel 7 Business Person of the Year Awards
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