(Image source from: WZZM 13)

The Michigan-based direct selling company Amway has announced former Pizza Hut International President Milind Pant as its Chief Executive Officer.

Pant, who currently lives in Dallas joins Amway which has a revenue of $8.6 billion from Yum! Brands where he was recently president of Pizza Hut International.

Pant will be reporting directly to Amway's Board of Directors effective January 2, 2019.

"This is a new position for Amway, a business that has been family run since its beginning in 1959," Amway said in a statement.

"Milind brings a wealth of experience and enthusiasm to help lead Amway to even greater heights," Amway Chairman Steve Van Andel said.

"We're confident his leadership and strong track record of driving growth and transformational change will go far in advancing Amway’s focus on empowering entrepreneurs and meeting customer needs with exclusive and innovative products," he added.

Pant who holds a masters degree in International Business from Indian Institute of Foreign Trade and Master of Management Studies from Birla Institute of Technology and Science in India, is credited with radically spreading out Pizza Hut's international division through growth across Asia, India, and Europe.

Besides overseeing over 9,000 Pizza Hut stores outside the United States, he was instrumental in the advancement of e-commerce and digital strategies of the company.

Earlier to connecting with Yum! Brands, he spent 14 years with Unilever in a variety of executive roles, plus vice-president of Foods for Africa, Turkey, and the Middle East.

Amway has been co-led by Van Andel since 1995 who has served as Amway Chairman and Doug DeVos who has served as Amway's president since 2002.

Both will move to Amway's Board of Directors where they will serve as co-chairs.

Amway, a business started by Jay Van Andel and Rich DeVos, will proceed to be family-owned and family-led. The whole management and leadership of the business will at present be assumed by Pant.

"The Van Andel and DeVos families remain committed to building on our fathers’ legacy of bringing to all people an opportunity to have a business of their own," Amway president Doug DeVos said.

"Given Amway's strong foundation and leadership in the industry, we’ve never been more confident in the business' future and we're excited to welcome Milind to the Amway family," he added.

-Sowmya Sangam