Burger King Profile: Vaishali Gala

Vaishali Gala, General Manager of the BK U.S. Pacific Division, has worked for the brand for 13 years, but her story with Burger King began long before her corporate career. Vaishali’s parents were Burger King Franchisees, and she spent her early years immersed in restaurant life, with her first job being in her parents’ BK. “Coming from a Franchisee family, I learned early on what hard work, grit, ownership, and service really mean,” she shares. “That upbringing gave me empathy for our operators and a relentless drive to create value at the restaurant level.”

Today, Vaishali leads a team of eleven people, working closely with Franchisees and internal teams to improve performance, drive profitability, and enhance the Guest experience. As a leader, she makes a point to foster transparency, encourage ownership, and build a strong, supportive Team Member culture. “I love helping Team Members step into new responsibilities, build confidence, and become more strategic and influential in their roles,” she says. “Everyone brings something unique to the table, and I’m constantly learning from them.”

That same collaborative mindset played a key role in her contributions to a strategic initiative in California. Vaishali is an essential part of the team that developed a localized calendar strategy, helping align stakeholders and support cross-functional execution. “Having experience across different areas of the business really helped me understand the big picture and all the moving pieces that needed to come together,” she says. The initiative became one of the brand’s most focused local marketing efforts and has since served as a model for other regions.

Throughout her career with Burger King, Vaishali has held leadership roles across strategy, operations, development, marketing, and field leadership in both North America and EMEA. One of her most impactful projects was the national rollout of the Franchise Success System, where she helped design and implement the operational KPIs that remain foundational to how the brand measures performance. “We never have a dull day and are constantly working towards gaining more market share in such a competitive environment,” she says. “I also love the people I get to work with. Everyone is so smart, and I learn something new every day.”