India, Oct. 25 -- KFC US president Catherine Tan-Gillespie, who began working as a dishwasher at 13 for just £1.20 an hour, says her rise through the corporate ranks had little to do with money or impressive job titles. Instead, the 52-year-old credits her success to taking risks and embracing opportunities that challenged her.

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"I wasn't chasing money, I wasn't chasing title," she told Fortune. "I was chasing opportunities that put me in the learning zone as opposed to in the comfort zone-and tried to keep me out of the panic zone."

Raised in a middle-class British family, Tan-Gillespie started working at restaurant chain Beefeater while still...