José Cil, former CEO of Burger King parent, joins NCLH board

RBI is a global enterprise whose brands include Burger King, Tim Hortons, Popeyes and Firehouse Subs.

Seven independent directors

Cil joins as an independent director. This expands the NCLH board to nine, including seven independents. Other directors include Chairman Russell Galbut, President/CEO Harry Sommer, David Adams, Mary Landry, Adam Aron, Stella David, Harry Curtis and Zillah Byng-Thorne.

Cil will serve as a member of the audit committee, chaired by Curtis.

He was CEO of RBI from January 2019 to March 2023. During this time the company expanded globally while maintaining a focus on financial results and returning capital to shareholders. In addition to leading RBI through the pandemic and subsequent recovery, Cil also led digital transformation efforts, the development of its sustainability framework, Restaurant Brands for Good, and execution of its $1b acquisition of Firehouse Subs.

Before becoming CEO, Cil spent 20 years in various leadership roles of increasing responsibility at Burger King, including serving as global president of Burger King from December 2014 to January 2019 and president of Burger King Europe, Middle East & Africa from November 2010 to December 2014.

Experienced board member, South Florida community leader

He also has experience as a board member, having served as a director for Carrols Restaurant Group, Inc. from January 2015 to February 2020 and currently as a director of privately held Restaurant Brands Iberia.

A leader in the South Florida community, Cil is involved in several organizations that promote economic development. He's a member of the Orange Bowl Committee, a council member on the Florida Council of 100, a board member of Visit Florida and on the executive board of advisors at Florida International University’s Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management. He recently was appointed to the advisory board of Belen Jesuit Preparatory School in Miami.

Cil's appointment 'reflects our commitment to regularly evaluating our board to bring the right mix of skills and expertise to the table to guide Norwegian’s long-term strategy to unlock growth and drive shareholder value,' Galbut said.

Restaurant and cruise industry parallels

'José has a decades-long track record of successfully leading premier organizations and I am confident that he will be a strong addition to our board,' Sommer added. 'His collaborative leadership style, results-oriented mindset and proven ability to transform and grow global businesses will be a tremendous asset to enhance the collective expertise of our board. His deep knowledge of the restaurant industry also has significant parallels to the cruise industry, and we look forward to benefitting from his wealth of experience as we enhance our strategic vision and position the company for long-term success.'