ATLANTA  — Papa John’s International Inc., has hired Patrick Coelho as its first-ever senior vice president of development.

Coelho will oversee North American restaurant real estate development activities, continue to advance business development goals and collaborate with senior leadership.

“Patrick brings a wealth of industry experience and knowledge to this new role during a time of substantial growth and expansion for Papa Johns,” said Amanda Clark, chief international and development officer for Papa Johns. “His passion for driving a culture of collaboration and his eye for process optimization will continue to strengthen our operations and unlock value for our franchise network in the North American region.”

Prior to joining Papa John’s International, Coelho most recently developed and executed an international expansion strategy for Scooter’s Coffee. He was also with Restaurant Brands International for eight years.

Coelho received a bachelor’s degree in finance and global business from Suffolk University. He also completed the Program for Leadership Development in Business Administration and Management at Harvard Business School.

“Papa Johns is a globally recognized brand that is leading the charge when it comes to innovation in the pizza category,” Coelho said. “I’m excited to join as the first senior vice president of development for North America and look forward to supporting the company’s impressive expansion efforts. I’m eager to begin and uncover more ways to bolster this ongoing development and operational performance, while deepening relationships with our franchisees and streamlining customer experiences across the Americas.”