Scott Boatwright has been named Chipotle’s interim chief executive officer in the wake of Brian Niccol’s departure for the CEO role at Starbucks, effective Aug. 31. Boatwright has served as Chipotle’s chief operating officer since 2017 and has been instrumental in driving restaurant operations for the company’s more than 120,000 employees at over 3,500 restaurants.
Boatwright is credited with leading the integration of new technology into restaurants, achieving strong retention rates, and driving a culture of throughput. Following the pandemic and ensuing labor shortage, Boatwright spearheaded an initiative called Project Square One, to “deliver great fundamentals on great throughput.” The project focused on real-time training and coaching to ensure operational efficiencies and improved team member and customer experience. That throughput has been credited for Chipotle’s staggering sales performance results of late, which have far outpaced the rest of the industry and have driven historically high average unit volumes for the chain.
Prior to joining Chipotle, Boatwright served as senior vice president of operations at Arby’s Restaurant Group. He holds a master’s degree in business administration from the Robinson College of Business at Georgia State University.
Also, with the news of Niccol’s departure, chief financial officer Jack Hartung has agreed to remain with the organization indefinitely as president of strategy, finance, and supply chain to ensure a smooth transition. In this new role, he will support Boatwright and continue his current oversight of Adam Rymer, vice president of finance and incoming CFO, as well as Carlos Londono, global head of supply chain. Hartung previously announced his intention to retire from Chipotle in 2025 after serving as CFO since 2002.
The company noted it will continue to execute its strategic plan without interruption. That plan includes a target of reaching $4 million in AUVs and 7,000 North American restaurants.
"I have the utmost confidence in our five key strategies and I'm excited for the new opportunity to lead the business moving forward. We have a world-class organization full of talented leaders who are passionate about our brand and purpose and excited for the long-term opportunity to grow to 7,000 restaurants in North America and expand internationally,” Boatwright said in a statement.
Replacing Niccol as board chairman, a position he has held since 2020, is Scott Maw, lead independent director.
"I'm incredibly proud of the work that has been accomplished since I joined Chipotle in 2018," Niccol said in a statement. "The strategic priorities this team has put in place have positioned Chipotle to win today and enable future growth. It's hard to leave such a great company and all of the talented people I've had the pleasure to work with, but I depart knowing the business is in great shape and poised for growth with a strong, experienced leadership team."
Contact Alicia Kelso at [email protected]
