Chipotle Mexican Grill has appointed Fernando Machado as chief brand officer, effective June 1, according to a press release. Machado will lead global marketing strategy, brand positioning and customer engagement for the chain.
“Chipotle has built one of the most distinctive and culturally relevant brands in the industry, and I look forward to building on that strong foundation through authentic storytelling, focused product development, and meaningful guest experiences,” Machado said in a press statement.
Machado is currently an operating partner at Garnett Station Partners, a private-equity firm focused on franchise, multi-unit and services businesses. He is perhaps best known for his years as chief marketing officer for Restaurant Brands International brands Burger King, Popeyes and Tim Hortons. Machado also served as CMO at video games giant Activision Blizzard and food tech startup NotCo, and previously spent 18 years at Unilever.
“His proven track record in building iconic brands, driving category-defining innovation, and leading customer-centric marketing strategies positions him to elevate our brand, deepen guest loyalty, highlight the value of our real food, and accelerate our long-term growth,” Chipotle CEO Scott Boatwright said of Machado in the release.
Machado’s appointment fills a chief brand officer role most recently held by Chris Brandt, the Chipotle executive who lead the chain’s marketing for nearly eight years before stepping down in January. Since then, Stephanie Perdue, previously Chipotle’s vice president of brand marketing, has served as interim CMO. She has been promoted to senior vice president of brand marketing, according to a Chipotle spokesperson.
Boatwright previously described the chain’s search for a “unicorn” CMO that would need to support key messaging, menu innovation, digital commerce and transactions through loyalty and third-party aggregators. Along with the Machado hire, Chipotle has appointed Arlie Sisson to the newly created role of chief digital officer. Most recently, the executive served as senior vice president and global head of digital for commercial services at Hyatt Hotels. She will report to Curt Garner, president, chief strategy and technology officer at Chipotle.
“Sisson is a proven leader with a deep understanding of how technology can elevate both the guest and team member experience,” said Garner in a statement. “In this newly established role, she will help advance our digital strategy, grow loyalty, strengthen how we operate across our restaurants, and unlock new opportunities to innovate at scale.”
The moves come as Chipotle works to execute its five-point Recipe for Growth strategy, which launched in February after the chain notched its third consecutive quarter of comparable sales declines. Chipotle will announce its Q1 earnings on April 29.
