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About Sphera Franchise Group S.A.

The portfolio of the Sphera Franchise Group S.A. holding contains all companies which operate in a franchise system the brands KFC, Pizza Hut, Pizza Hut Delivery and Taco Bell in Romania and KFC in Moldova and Italy.

Map

Over 170 de restaurants
Over 4.700 employees
Over 28 years on the market

Purpose. Vision. Mission

Development through relevance and trust.

Be the leaders in the Romanian food service industry and become an important player at European level.

Offer customers a memorable experience, backed by excellent services and unique products prepared by passionate teams.

SPHERA Values

TEAM

Our success comes from teamwork. We work with the colleagues to implement and adopt the best practices; with the customers to offer them excellent experiences; with the community to create the premises for development.

TRUST

We increase confidence in the human potential. We trust our colleagues and their positive intentions. We offer confidence to our customers through the quality of our products and services. We are responsible and accountable for our actions.

CONTENTMENT

We appreciate every achievement. We celebrate our successes and those of others. We are grateful for the opportunities for personal development. We are grateful to the team for their support.

ACTION

We act promptly and look forward to the future. We focus on priorities and solutions. We do not tolerate inequities.

GROWTH

We grow people and business. We encourage employees to grow both personally and professionally. We grow management teams directed to SMART & HEART & COURAGE & GREEN. We build SMART restaurants for our customers.

Board of Directors

The BoD established an Audit Committee and a Nomination and Remuneration Committee. Both the Audit Committee and the Nomination and Remuneration Committee comprises of three members of the BoD, of which one is elected chairman.

Hoancă
Lucian

President of the Board of Directors

Short biography

Born in 1956, Mr Hoanca is a non-executive member of the Board of Directors of Sphera Franchise Group since 2018, as well as the Chairman of the Board since October 2020. He is also chairman of the Group’s Nomination and Remuneration Committee. Mr Hoancă graduated from the Faculty of Foreign Languages at the University of Bucharest, being licensed in philology. Since 1995, he has held management positions in various companies such as ANA Group, EUROM, Exclusiv Comp, Baneasa Developments, Wellkept Group, Tatika Investments, Parc Hotels.

Repidonis
Georgios-Vassillios

Vice-President of the Board of Directors

Short biography

Born in 1961, Mr Repidonis is a non-executive member of the Group’s Board of Directors since 2019. Mr Repidonis graduated from the Faculty of Planning and Economic Cybernetics within the Academy of Economic Studies in Bucharest. His professional career has been in the field of executive management, development projects, product marketing and accounting. Between 1994 – 1997 he was a shareholder, administrator and General Manager of Comtra Intl Distributor in Romania, and between 2004 – 2010 he was a shareholder and General Manager of El Greco restaurant in Bucharest. Mr Repidonis was also a shareholder and responsible for the development of the Romanian franchise of the Lacoste and Gant brands between 2001 and 2015.

Since 2008 he is a shareholder, administrator, and general manager of Cafe Nescafe cafes, and since 2015 he is general manager of Casa Doina restaurant in Bucharest. Mr. Repidonis is a member of the Board of Directors and an administrator at Băneasa Developments.

Cârmaciu
Silviu-Gabriel

Member of the Board of Directors

Short biography

Born in 1980, Mr Cârmaciu has been a non-executive member of the Group’s Board of Directors since May 2017. He has a degree in economics, specializing in Finance, Banking and Accounting. He is also a graduate of postgraduate courses specializing in International Economic Relations – “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” Academy, postgraduate courses “Security and National Defense”, National Defense College-National Defense University “Carol I”.

Over years he graduated a series of professional training courses in Banking – European Banking Certificate (EBTN – European Banking & Financial Services Training Association; Diploma in Banking – issued by the Romanian Banking Institute and the National Bank of Romania), General Management – Open University Business School London, Coaching and Leadership, Financial Management – Financial Analysis, Financial Valuation of Companies.

Between 2006 and 2012, he held management positions and functions in various areas of banking activity, including Loans and Risk – Risk Assessment and Management, Treasury, Business Development, Customer Relationship Management, Preventing and Combating Money Laundering.

Starting with 2013, Mr Cârmaciu is a director at Computerland Romania SRL, being responsible for Strategic and Financial Management. Between 2013 and May 2020, Mr Cârmaciu held the position of advisor to the General Manager of Griro S.A.

Lefter
Răzvan-Ștefan

Member of the Board of Directors

Short biography

Born in 1980, Mr Lefter is an independent, non-executive member of the Board of Directors of the Sphera Group since November 2018. He graduated from the Faculty of Finance, Insurance, Banking and Stock Exchanges at the Academy of Economic Studies in Bucharest and holds the title of CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) awarded by CFA Institute since 2008. He is currently Managing Partner at RSL Capital Advisors, an investment consulting firm, but also a member of the boards of directors of companies such as Mundus Services AD Bulgaria or Eurohold AD Bulgaria. He was also a member of the Boards of Directors or Supervisory Board of important companies such as SIF Muntenia, Cemacon Zalău, CONPET Ploiești, TeraPlast Bistrița. At the beginning of his career, Mr. Lefter held several positions at ING Bank, being among others an analyst at the bank’s headquarters in the Netherlands, after which he was Senior Equity Sales Trader at EFG Eurobank Securities and Swiss Capital Romania.

Ene
Mihai

Member of the Board of Directors

Short biography

Mr. Ene was born in 1975 and has been a non-executive member of the Board of Directors since February 4, 2022. He graduated from the Faculty of Business and Tourism at the Academy of Economic Studies, later obtaining a Diploma in Hospitality Management at Ecole Hoteliere de Lausanne in Switzerland . Over time, he has participated in numerous courses and programs for professional development and specialization. He is currently General Manager and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Practic SA, Business operational director at Star Consulting & Training SRL and Trade operations manager at Euroacces Foundation. In the past he was also part of the boards of directors of Obor Market & Trade Center, Universal SA, and at the beginning of his career, for a long time, he worked in the hotel sector, holding positions from Front Desk Officer to Deputy General Manager.

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Ionescu
Călin

Date of birth 1969
Nationality Romanian
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Sphera Franchise Group

Short biography

Has been Chief Executive Officer (CEO) since October 2020 and Chief Operations Officer (COO) of the Group since August 2017. Mr. Ionescu studied Marketing and Management at the Romanian American University in Bucharest. Mr. Ionescu has been involved in the restaurant business since 1994, when the first Pizza Hut restaurant operated by ARS (Romania) was opened. He has occupied various operational positions, from Restaurant Manager to General Manager and, in 2012, Mr. Ionescu was promoted to COO of the Group. During this time, he has actively participated in all expansions of the KFC and Pizza Hut brands in Romania and the Republic of Moldova and in 2016, he laid the foundations for developing the KFC brand in North East and North-Western Italy. Under Mr. Ionescu’s supervision, the KFC and Pizza Hut brands in Romania ranked consistently in the top three countries in terms of Yum!’s operational performance standards. Additionally, Mr. Ionescu coordinates and holds executive and operational positions in other companies operating restaurant brands in Romania, such as Hard Rock Café and Cinnamon Bake and Roll.

 

Budeș
Valentin

Date of birth 1983
Nationality Romanian
Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Sphera Franchise Group

Short biography

He has been the Financial Director (CFO) of the Sphera Franchise Group since May 2019. Valentin Budes attended the Faculty of Economics in Foreign Languages, French section, at the Academy of Economic Studies in Bucharest and holds a master’s degree in “International Accounting” from the same university.Mr. Budes is a senior member of the Chartered Certified Accountants Association (ACCA) and holds a certification in risk management issued by the Institute of Internal Auditors of the United States of America. In Romania, Valentin Budes is an accounting expert member of CECCAR and an insolvency practitioner being a member of UNPIR.Before working in the restaurants industry, Valentin Budes worked in: financial consulting at KPMG Romania; the financial division within the telecommunications companies of the Telekom Romania group (Cosmote, Telemobil, Germanos and Nextgen); and before joining the Sphera Group he was responsible for approximately 3 years for the financial activities of the Medicover Romania Group.

Eftimie
Monica

Born 1979
Romanian nationality
Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) Sphera Franchise Group

Short biography

Monica is the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) of Sphera Franchise Group since August 2017.  She graduated summa cum laude from Northwestern University (USA) and has a Master of Business Administration from Georgetown University (USA).  From 2013 until 2017 Monica was the Marketing Director of ARS (Romania) and USFN (Romania).  In this capacity she led the marketing activities for a portfolio of brands which included KFC, Pizza Hut and Pizza Hut Delivery and for which she developed and implemented marketing campaigns. Monica led the successful launch in the Romanian market of the famous Californian brand with Mexican-inspired food Taco Bell. Concurrently, Monica was the Marketing Director for Romania for the Paul brand.  With over 14 years of experience in the quick service restaurant industry Monica started her career at the Accor Group (France) and Saatchi & Saatchi Advertising.  Subsequently, she developed complex marketing campaigns for known brands such as McDonald’s.

Osiac
Cristian

Date of birth 1968
Nationality Romanian
Chief Development Officer Sphera Franchise Group

Short biography

He has been the Chief Development Officer of the Group since June 2017 and was the Chairman of the BoD of Sphera between May 2017 – 2018. He holds a BSc in Electronics and Telecommunications from the Polytechnic University of Bucharest. Cristian Osiac has been with the Group since 1994, when he managed the opening of the first Pizza Hut in Romania, as Technical Director. In 1997, he coordinated the opening of the first KFC restaurant in Bucharest, as Development Director and from this position, Mr. Osiac coordinated the main development and technical activities for all the Group’s brands. After 2007, Mr. Osiac also held executive positions in other companies operating food or restaurant brands in Romania, such as Paul and Cinnabon bakeries, where he was in charge of development operations. He also actively participated in the development of Hard Rock Café restaurant in Bucharest. Moreover, in 2008, he was appointed as Chairman of the BoD of ARS (Romania) and USFN (Romania) holding this position until Sphera was established in 2017. During this time, Mr. Osiac actively coordinated and supervised all expansion of the KFC and Pizza Hut brands in Romania, in the Republic of Moldova and Italy.

Topșa
Marina

Date of birth 1979
Nationality Romanian
Legal Director Sphera Franchise Group

Short biography

Has been a Legal Director at Sphera Franchise Group and its Italian and Moldovan branches since May 2017. Marina Topșa graduated from the Faculty of Law at the University of Bucharest in 2003 and has been a lawyer in the Bucharest Bar since February 2005. After graduation, Ms. Topșa worked for 10 years as a senior lawyer, respectively Partner within a national law firm and opened her own office in February 2015. Before taking over the position of Legal Director of the Sphera Group, Marina Topșa was for one year Head of Legal, Compliance & Corporate Affairs – Legal Director, First Vice President at UniCredit Bank SA.

Călin Ionescu

Date of birth 1969
Nationality Romanian
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Sphera Franchise Group

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Valentin Budeș

Date of birth 1983
Nationality Romanian
Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Sphera Franchise Group

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Monica Eftimie

Born 1979
Romanian nationality
Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) Sphera Franchise Group

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Cristian Osiac

Date of birth 1968
Nationality Romanian
Chief Development Officer Sphera Franchise Group

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Marina Topșa

Date of birth 1979
Nationality Romanian
Legal Director Sphera Franchise Group

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Executive team

Members of the executive team:

Shareholders

TATIKA INVESTMENTS LTD.

28.6089 %

COMPUTERLAND ROMANIA S.R.L.

20.5327 %

WELLKEPT GROUP S.A.

16.4537 %

Others

34.4048 %