TIM HORTONS APPOINTS MINJOO LEE-ZEITLER TO LEAD APAC MARKETING

Tim Hortons has appointed Minjoo Lee-Zeitler as director of marketing for Asia Pacific, tasked with leading brand strategy, consumer marketing and product innovation. She will advise franchise partners and oversee marketing across China, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Pakistan, supporting the Canadian coffee chain’s expansion and relevance in the region.  

Tim Hortons has announced the appointment of Minjoo Lee-Zeitler as director of marketing for Asia Pacific, underscoring the Canadian coffee chain’s ambition to strengthen its foothold across the region. The move reflects the brand’s commitment to building deeper consumer connections and driving relevance in diverse and competitive markets.  

In her new role, Lee-Zeitler will spearhead brand strategy, consumer marketing and product innovation, while also overseeing overall marketing performance across APAC. She will serve as a strategic advisor to Tim Hortons’ franchise partners, helping identify growth opportunities and collaborative solutions as the business scales. This dual remit positions her as both a brand custodian and a partner to local operators, ensuring that global ambitions are matched with regional insights.  

Her responsibilities extend across Tim Hortons’ existing APAC markets, including China, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Pakistan, while also covering any new territories the brand enters in the future. This broad scope highlights the chain’s confidence in Lee-Zeitler’s ability to navigate varied consumer landscapes and tailor strategies to local tastes and expectations.  

The appointment comes at a time when international coffee chains are intensifying their focus on Asia Pacific, a region marked by rapid urbanisation, evolving consumer preferences and a growing appetite for global food and beverage experiences. Tim Hortons’ decision to entrust Lee-Zeitler with this pivotal role signals its intent to compete vigorously, not only through product innovation but also by embedding cultural relevance into its marketing.  

By combining global brand equity with regional adaptability, Lee-Zeitler’s leadership is expected to shape Tim Hortons’ next phase of growth in APAC. Her advisory role with franchise partners further strengthens the collaborative model, ensuring that expansion is sustainable and aligned with local market dynamics.