Chipotle chief marketing officer out; interim head named
Chipotle Mexican Grill’s C-suite is being shaken up.
The fast-casual Mexican chain said that president and chief brand officer Chris Brandt has departed the company. Stephanie Perdue, VP of brand marketing, will serve as interim chief marketing officer. Chipotle has initiated an internal and external search to identify a new chief marketing officer with the assistance of a leading executive search firm.
Chief legal officer Roger Theodoredis has also left the company. Chipotle named Ilene Eskenazi, chief human resources officer, as its new chief legal and human resources officer. Both Theodoredis and Brandt will remain with the company in advisory roles for a limited period to assist with the transition.
Perdue has served as Chipotle’s VP of brand marketing since joining the company in 2018. Previously, she served as the chief marketing officer at TGI Fridays, and spent more than 12 years in various marketing roles at Taco Bell prior to that.
"Chipotle has a deep bench of marketing talent, and we are fortunate to have Stephanie take on the interim role overseeing our strategic marketing initiatives, customer engagement and incredible brand loyalty as we conduct a comprehensive search for our next chief marketing officer," said Chipotle CEO Scott Boatwright, who took over as chief executive in November 2024.
Prior to joining Chipotle in 2023 as chief human resources officer, Eskenazi held joint legal and human resources roles at leading consumer products companies, including Petco Health and Wellness Company, Boardriders Inc. (previously Quiksilver Inc.), True Religion and Red Bull North America Inc. She previously served as a corporate attorney at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP.
"Ilene is a valued member of our executive leadership team, and her perspective has been instrumental over the years," said Boatwright. "I look forward to continuing to collaborate with Ilene and our exceptional team as we hire top talent and invest in our people to deliver on our growth strategy and take Chipotle to the next level."
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Boatwright added that the company is reaffirming its full-year 2025 financial guidance that was issued in October and remains confident in in its 2026 strategic plan.
Chipotle’s fourth quarter and fiscal year 2025 earnings call will take place on Feb. 3, 2026.
Headquartered in Newport Beach, Calif., Chipotle operates more than 4,000 restaurants in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany and the Middle East. It is the only restaurant company of its size that owns and operates all its restaurants in North America and Europe.
