Joey Wat

Joey Chui Yung Wat (born c. 1971) is the chief executive officer of Yum China. She also was CEO of KFC China, managing director of A.S. Watson Group UK, and spent seven years in management consulting.

As of May 2020, she is one of only 37 female CEOs on the Fortune 500.

Early life and education
Wat was born on June 26, 1971 in a poor neighborhood near Fuzhou, China. Wat's family moved to Hong Kong circa 1980. Wat worked nights to support her family, while going to school during the day. She worked at a factory that created plastic flower arrangements starting at age 9 and also worked as a waitress from ages 15-18. She graduated third in her class in high school and won the Hong Kong Outstanding Students Award.

After high school, Wat attended the University of Hong Kong, where she studied development economics. After graduating with first-class honors in 1994, she returned to her hometown in Fuzhou. She saw that the area had prospered due to private investment. She decided to go into business, initially working at AT Kearney, a business consultancy. Then, she moved to the United States to attend the Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management, where she earned a Master's in Business Administration.

Career
Wat started her career as a consultant at A.T. Kearney, and then from 2000 to 2003 as a management consultant at McKinsey & Company in Hong Kong.

She joined A.S. Watson Group UK in 2004, becoming head of strategy for over 10 countries in Europe and managing director of A.S. Watson Group UK. In September 2014, she moved back to China and joined Yum China, where she was president of KFC China before being promoted to chief executive officer of KFC China in 2015. Wat then was president and chief operating officer of Yum China and became a member of the firm's board of directors in 2017. Since March 1, 2018, she is its chief executive officer.

Recognition
Wat was included in Forbes' list of the World's 100 Most Powerful Women for 2023, 2022, and 2021 as well as Fortune Magazine’s list of Most Powerful Women in 2023 and 2020. She appeared on Fortune China’s list of China's 50 Most Influential Business Leaders in 2023, 2022, 2021, and 2018. as well as Business Insider's list of 100 People Transforming Business in Asia in 2020. She was also named to Forbes China's list of Top 100 Businesswomen in 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, and 2019, and Fortune China's Most Powerful Women in Business list in 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, and 2018.