DRVN Appoints Muhammad Khalid as COO With 100% Bonus Target and 250% Equity

Rhea-AI Filing Summary

Driven Brands Holdings Inc. elected Muhammad Khalid as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer effective August 25, 2025. Mr. Khalid, 44, currently serves as Executive Vice President and President of Take 5 (since February 2023) and previously held leadership roles at Great Wolf Resorts, Meineke (including a prior COO role at Driven Brands), Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Burger King, Deutsche Bank and J.P. Morgan Chase. His compensation package includes an annual base salary of $575,000, eligibility for an annual performance-based cash bonus with a 100% target of base salary, and eligibility for annual equity grants (RSUs and PSUs) with a 250% target of base salary under the Company’s 2021 Omnibus Incentive Plan. The filing states there are no related-party arrangements or family relationships requiring disclosure, and a press release announcing the appointment is furnished with the report.

Positive

• Experienced hire: Mr. Khalid has leadership roles at Take 5, Great Wolf Resorts, Meineke, Starwood, Burger King, Deutsche Bank and J.P. Morgan Chase.
• Prior company experience: He previously served as Vice President and COO of Meineke at Driven Brands, providing continuity with company operations.
• Performance-aligned pay: Compensation includes a 100% target annual cash bonus and equity grants targeted at 250% of base salary, linking pay to results.
• Clear governance disclosure: Filing states no related-party arrangements or family relationships requiring disclosure and furnishes a press release.

Negative

• None.

Insights

Corporate Governance Expert

TL;DR: Appointment of an experienced operations leader with prior company and industry exposure; compensation ties pay to performance.

The selection of Muhammad Khalid brings an executive with cross-industry operations experience and prior roles at Driven Brands and Meineke, which may support operational continuity and execution. The package combines fixed pay with significant performance-linked incentives (100% cash bonus target and equity target equal to 250% of base salary), aligning pay with company performance. The filing explicitly states no related-party transactions or familial ties and notes the press release is furnished rather than filed.

Securities Analyst

TL;DR: Routine leadership appointment; compensation is sizeable but disclosed and structured toward performance.

The disclosure is concise and conforms to required Item 5.02 and Item 7.01 information: effective date, biography, and detailed target compensation elements are provided. The executive’s prior internal experience at Driven Brands and industry roles are noted, which reduces governance friction risk. No additional financial statements or material transactions were disclosed.

0001804745FALSE00018047452025-08-252025-08-25

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

_________________________________

FORM 8-K

_________________________________

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of report (Date of earliest event reported): August 25, 2025

Commission file number: 001-39898

_________________________________

Driven Brands Holdings Inc.

(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)

_________________________________

Delaware

(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)

139898

(Commission File Number)

47-3595252

(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

440 South Church Street, Suite 700

Charlotte, North Carolina

(Address of principal executive offices)

28202

(Zip Code)

(704) 377-8855

(Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code)

_________________________________

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the Registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):

o Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

o Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

o Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

o Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Title of each class

Common Stock, $0.01 par value

Trading Symbol

DRVN

Name of each exchange on which registered

The Nasdaq Global Select Market

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Act of 1934 (§ 240.12b-2 of this chapter).

Emerging growth company o

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. o

Item 5.02 Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.

Driven Brands Holdings Inc. (the “Company”) has elected Muhammad Khalid to serve as the Company’s Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer (“COO”) effective as of August 25, 2025. Mr. Khalid, age 44, has served as Executive Vice President and President of Take 5 since February 2023. From 2017 through 2023, he held multiple leadership positions at Great Wolf Resorts, including Senior Vice President of Operations. From 2016 through 2017, he served as the Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Meineke at Driven Brands. He has also held a variety of leadership roles at Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Burger King, Deutsche Bank and J.P. Morgan Chase. He received a Master of Business Administration from Columbia University and a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from Rutgers University.

In connection with his election, Mr. Khalid will receive an annual base salary of $575,000, will be eligible to receive an annual performance-based cash bonus (with a target of 100% of his annual base salary), and will be eligible to receive annual equity grants of restricted stock units and performance stock units under the Company’s 2021 Omnibus Incentive Plan (with a target of 250% of his annual base salary), in each case as determined and approved by the Board or a committee thereof. Any equity grants will be subject to the terms of the Company’s Amended and Restated 2021 Omnibus Incentive Plan and the applicable award agreements.

There are no arrangements or understandings between Mr. Khalid and any other person pursuant to which he is being appointed as COO of the Company. There are no family relationships between Mr. Khalid and any other director or executive officer of the Company, and no transactions involving Mr. Khalid that would require disclosure under Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K.

Item 7.01 Regulation FD Disclosure.

The Company issued a press release announcing that it has elected Mr. Khalid to serve as COO. A copy of the press release announcing these elections is being furnished with this report and is incorporated herein by reference.

Note: The information provided pursuant to Item 7.01 is being furnished and shall not be deemed to be “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section, nor shall it be deemed to be incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Exchange Act, except as shall be expressly set forth by specific reference in any such filing.

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d) Exhibits

Exhibit No.						Description
99.1						Press Release dated August 25, 2025
104						Cover Page Interactive Data File - the cover page XBRL tags are embedded within the Inline XBRL document

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

			DRIVEN BRANDS HOLDINGS INC.
Date: August 25, 2025			By:						/s/ Scott O’Melia
			Name:						Scott O’Melia
			Title:						Executive Vice President, Chief Legal Officer

FAQ

Who has Driven Brands (DRVN) appointed as Chief Operating Officer?

Muhammad Khalid has been elected Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, effective August 25, 2025.

What is Muhammad Khalid’s annual base salary at Driven Brands?

$575,000 annual base salary as stated in the filing.

How is Mr. Khalid’s compensation structured?

He is eligible for an annual performance-based cash bonus with a 100% target of base salary and annual equity grants (RSUs and PSUs) with a 250% target of base salary under the 2021 Omnibus Incentive Plan.

Does the filing disclose any related-party transactions involving Mr. Khalid?

The filing states there are no arrangements or understandings with other persons and no family relationships or transactions requiring disclosure under Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K.

Was a press release issued about the appointment?

Yes, the company issued a press release announcing Mr. Khalid’s election; the press release is furnished with the report.