Damola Adamolekun is the new CEO of Red Lobster. His goal: get the restaurant chain out of the red.
Following a headline-making bankruptcy, the seafood eatery is now owned by Fortress Investment Group and co-investors TCW Private Credit and Blue Torch. Fortress nominated Adamolekun, 35, following his success as the former CEO of Asian fusion chain P.F. Chang’s, Fortune reports.
But while many professionals in Adamolekun’s age group champion having a work-life balance, the executive believes, “My life is my work. My work is my life.”
Adamolekun is always in go mode, starting his day with a 4:30 a.m. seven-to-eight-mile run and ending his day around 6:30 p.m. with a cigar after meetings.
“I never really have been a person that separated work and life,” he said. “It mixes.”
Adamolekun has spent the last few years switching between executive positions and working in finance. After
making history as one of the few Black CEOs to lead a major U.S. company and the first to head P.F. Chang’s, Adamolekun returned to investment company Paulson & Co. following three years at P.F. Chang’s. This followed stints at Goldman Sachs and TPG Capital.Adamolekun admitted to “working all the time” but enjoying the nonstop hustle.
“I thought it was fun. So it wasn’t like I had to go in on a Saturday,” Adamolekun said. “It was like, ‘I got stuff to do, and I want to knock it out, or I want to look at something.’”
He acknowledged that this mindset isn’t the same for everyone and recommended breaks for those who need them. However, Adamolekun has told his restaurant staff to “build in buffers” and take days off on Tuesdays or Wednesdays when the restaurants are less busy.
“Work doesn’t stress [me] out,” he shared.
Red Lobster’s new owner, Fortress Investment Group, will hear if its plan is approved this month during the eatery’s bankruptcy court date.
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