Nurtac Afridi has been named interim chief executive officer of Godiva Chocolatier, a business owned by Istanbul, Turkey-based Yildiz Holding, following the departure of its current leader Annie Young-Scrivner at the end of November to pursue another opportunity. Afridi is a board member of Godiva and chief strategy and growth officer of Yildiz Holding.

Young-Scrivner, a former Starbucks executive, led the premium chocolate brand during the past three years.

“Annie has made significant contributions to Godiva during her tenure, like building an exceptional Executive Committee who will continue their work to make Godiva the world’s most beloved and accessible premium chocolate company,” Afridi says. “We thank Annie for her vision, leadership, and passion and we wish her the very best in her new role.”

Afridi joined Yildiz Holding in 2006 as general manager of corporate strategy and later advanced to the role of head of mergers and acquisitions and business development. She was named to her current role in 2016, assuming responsibility for identifying growth opportunities in new markets, categories and channels through acquisitions, strategic partnerships, investments and restructuring at Yildiz Holding, which also owns brands including McVitie’s and Ulker.

“At Godiva, we have nearly 95 years of craftsmanship and premium chocolate expertise,” Afridi says. “The exceptional quality of our products reflects this rich and beautiful heritage, dedication to innovation, and commitment to using the finest ingredients. I’m delighted and inspired to lead such an incredible brand and to work with this terrific team to ensure we continue extending our reach and leveraging our various channels to deliver on our brand's purpose — to open people’s eyes to a more wonderful world. I look forward to working with the team to expand our omnichannel business, continue putting digital at the center of all that we do, grow in key geographies, and, most importantly, exceeding consumer expectations and bringing joy to our employees.”