January 2026 Bonfire Marketer of the Month: Papa Johns UK’s Kanchan Lad

Each month, Braze selects one individual as our Marketer of the Month in order to celebrate the exceptional work being done by members of our Braze Bonfire community. Whether it's providing support for their fellow marketers or going above and beyond by sharing their innovative ideas and strategies, these individuals are making essential contributions to their companies, their users, and the customer engagement space as a whole.

This month, we’re recognizing Kachan Lad, Senior Product Manager - MarTech, CRM & Loyalty, Papa Johns UK & International. Opening in 1984, Papa Johns is the world’s third-largest pizza delivery company with more than 6,000 restaurants in approximately 50 countries and territories. We spoke to Kanchan about her career, experience with Braze, and what they’re working on at Papa Johns. Let’s dive in.

Tell us about yourself.

I’ve spent my career at the intersection of marketing, product, and technology, starting in digital advertising and consultancies, before moving into eCommerce growth. When I joined Papa Johns, I came in to focus on performance and digital marketing, but I quickly became fascinated by how technology could transform customer experiences at scale.

That curiosity pulled me deeper into MarTech, where—with help from partners like Massive Rocket—I brought together Braze, Snowflake, and our digital ordering channels to build our first integrated engagement ecosystem. And as often happens in fast-moving organisations, one thing led to another, and I now lead marketing technology across Papa Johns UK and our International markets as Senior Product Manager.

I actually started my career in product management and CRM for banking and financial institutions. So in a way, I’ve simply come full circle, just with a lot more pizza involved!

What is your favorite part of your job?

Pizza, I guess! Jokes apart, my favorite part of the job is taking data and technology, things that can feel intimidating or overly complicated, and simplifying them so they actually work for people. I love being the bridge between marketing and tech, translating between the two so teams can move faster and smarter—with far fewer “wait, what does this actually mean”’ moments.

One thing I’m especially proud of is how we’ve been able to democratize data, not just for our marketing teams, but for our franchisees too. Giving them the ability to connect with their local customers in meaningful, personalized ways has genuinely changed how we operate as a brand.

And of course, the real highlight is seeing the commercial impact, when all that effort turns into tangible, measurable outcomes. That’s the moment you sit back and think, “Yep, totally worth it.”

How do you see Braze as a career accelerant?

Braze has been transformational for me because it pushes you to think like both a marketer and a product person. You’re designing experiences, building logic, interpreting data signals, and continuously optimizing journeys. Those are the exact skills that accelerate careers in modern growth and product leadership.

It’s also a platform that rewards curiosity. If you lean in, experiment, and learn the advanced features, you naturally become a stronger, more strategic operator.

What has your experience working with the Braze team been like?

The Braze community has genuinely been one of the most collaborative ecosystems I’ve ever been part of. From Customer Success to Solutions Architects to fellow CAB members, everyone is invested in helping each other push boundaries and think bigger.

Our sessions with the Braze team regularly spark some of our best ideas, the kind where you leave the call thinking, “How have we not tried this yet?” One recent favourite was exploring how we could gamify customer experiences without adding anything new to our tech stack. That’s when you know you’re surrounded by the right kind of people: Creative, curious, and always up for a challenge.

Have you taken any Braze certification exams?

Yes, I’ve completed both the Braze Practitioner and Marketer certifications. At Papa Johns, we champion learning and development, and when we signed up for Braze, getting certified was the very first thing I did.

Certification helps you understand the full potential of the platform. It makes you better at solving problems, and it also enables much stronger conversations with engineering, data teams, and leadership because you’re speaking the same language.

Think of it this way: What’s the point of having one of the best cars in the world if it just sits in your garage because you don’t know how to drive it?

What campaign are you most proud of?

One campaign I’m most proud of is the relaunch of the Papa Rewards program. We shifted from a complex points system to Papa Dough, a clear, monetary reward of £3 for every 20 points. It’s easier to understand, works with deals, and improves redemption rates.

We’re now building on this with gamification pilots on Braze, starting with a scratch card game designed to drive acquisition. It rewards new sign-ups with instant wins and introduces members to the benefits of Papa Rewards from their first interaction. I love how we’re building a true cross channel experience using content cards, in-app messaging, push, and email.

Interested in collaborating to build the future of customer engagement? Join a collective of experts to forge connections, share ideas, and accelerate your career at the Braze Bonfire Community.