Chipotle Mexican Grill announced that it has hired Stephen Piacentini as Chief Development Officer, effective June 19,. Piacentini will report directly to Chief Brand Officer Chris Brandt.
Most recently, Piacentini served as the U.S. Chief Development Officer at The Wendy’s Company where he spent more than four years leading the development of new restaurants in the U.S. by partnering with existing franchisees, recruiting new franchisees, and strategically activating real estate opportunities. He also launched programs designed to help growth-minded franchisees build their restaurant portfolios and supported the brand’s global expansion.
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“Stephen’s development experience will be instrumental for Chipotle as our organization enters its highest growth period in history,” said Chris Brandt, Chief Brand Officer at Chipotle. “His expertise in domestic and international markets will help us accomplish our goal of increasing access to our real food around the world.”
Prior to his time at The Wendy’s Company, Piacentini served as the Chief Development Officer at Jimmy John’s and spent more than 13 years at Taco Bell, holding various positions in Finance and Development.
“From afar, I’ve always admired Chipotle’s unwavering commitment to its purpose and its employees,” says Piacentini. “This is a rare opportunity to grow an iconic brand’s footprint in North America and beyond, and I can’t wait to get to work.”
Stephen holds a B.S. in Economics and Politics from Pitzer College, and a Master of Business, Economics and Politics degree from The Drucker School of Management at Claremont Graduate University.
