Fast-growing Japanese fast-casual brand Motto Motto Japanese Kitchen has added to its team with two key appointments.
Holly Barnes joins the chain as national marketing manager and will drive strategy, national campaigns, guest experience innovation and long-term brand elevation. She is joined by Aleksandra Korf, who takes on the marketing manager role to lead digital execution, new restaurant launches, local area marketing, and the rollout of network-wide creative.
Matt Fickling, Motto Motto’s group chief operating officer, said “With our trajectory toward 30 restaurants by November 2026, strengthening our brand capability is critical to scaling the next phase of Motto Motto.
“Holly brings the energy, expertise, and strategic clarity needed to elevate our brand and deepen the connection we have with our guests and MyMotto members. Our new team’s work will sharpen how we show up, how we tell our story, and how we deliver on what ‘Motto Means More’ truly stands for,” he said.
New appointments will help support Motto Mott’s growth stategy
Barnes brings more than a decade of multi-site marketing, franchising, and brand leadership experience to the new position. Her career spans national QSR, franchise development, and high-growth retail and service environments.
Most recently Barnes led Zarraffa’s Coffee national brand strategy, creative direction, digital transformation, and guest engagement initiatives. She managed special projects at Poolwerx and Australian Sports Nutrition. Barnes spent almost six years with consulting firm DC Strategy, managing franchise marketing and lead generation.
Aleksandra (Sasha) Korf joins the business after three years as marketing manager at The Yiros Shop. In this role built she built the marketing function from the ground up. She delivered a brand refresh, scalable digital and local area marketing systems, and led integrated campaigns across social and restaurant channels.
These appointments come as Motto Motto accelerates towards the opening of its
21st restaurant, at Burpengary East in Brisbane’s north.
“With projects underway across Queensland, New South Wales, and a new market, we will reach our 30th franchise location within the next 12 months. The expansion of our marketing team strengthens our ability to support the network, open new restaurants with impact, and build long-term brand equity,” Fickling said.
