The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf has named former Panda Express executive John Theuer as chief financial officer, the Los Angeles-based chain said Thursday.
Theuer was previously chief financial officer for Rosemead, Calif.-based Panda Restaurant Group Inc., where he worked for 16 years as that company grew the Panda Express chain from 90 units to more than 1,300 locations.
His previous experience includes stints at The Walt Disney Company, as well as Acapulco Restaurants and Hilton Hotels Corp.
After leaving Panda Restaurant Group last year, Theuer was replaced by David Landsberg, its current chief executive.
At Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, where the CFO role is a newly created position, Theuer will be responsible for overseeing the accounting, finance, treasury and IT departments.
“John is a great addition to our executive team,” said Mel Elias, Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf’s president and chief executive. “He brings a wealth of experience in the restaurant and hospitality industries and lends a dynamic perspective that is in line with the core tenants of our brand.”
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The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf chain includes more than 800 locations in 23 countries.
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