Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream has appointed Naveen Dasa as chief financial officer, strengthening its leadership bench as the brand continues its rapid franchise growth across the U.S. Dasa brings more than a decade of experience spanning franchising, restaurant operations and investment banking, positioning him to guide the company’s next phase of disciplined expansion.
Dasa most recently held finance leadership roles at Shake Shack and previously spent ten years with Yum! Brands, where he supported Pizza Hut, Taco Bell and corporate strategy initiatives. Notably, he helped design Pizza Hut’s systemwide asset upgrade program, a large-scale effort to modernize thousands of locations nationwide. Earlier in his career, he worked in investment banking at J.P. Morgan and UBS, gaining deep expertise in capital markets and complex transactions.
At Handel’s, a legacy ice cream brand founded in 1945 and known for its handcrafted flavors and growing franchise footprint, Dasa will focus on strengthening financial systems, enhancing franchisee support and driving long-term profitability.
“Naveen’s background at some of the most sophisticated restaurant and franchise organizations in the world makes him a tremendous addition to our leadership team,” said Jennifer Schuler, CEO of Handel’s Ice Cream. “He understands how to support franchisees with data-driven insights while also helping brands modernize systems, store designs and financial processes to fuel sustainable growth.
Dasa added that his priority is to build a finance organization that delivers actionable insights and supports scalable growth across the system.
