Brian Niccol.

Brian Niccol is the Chairman and CEO of Starbucks, having been recruited in 2024 from Chipotle Mexican Grill, where he led one of the most celebrated turnarounds in restaurant history.

At Chipotle, Niccol transformed the chain from a company reeling from food safety crises into one of the best-performing restaurant stocks in America, tripling the stock price and pioneering innovations in digital ordering, drive-through (Chipotlanes), and menu development. His appointment as Starbucks CEO was one of the most closely watched leadership changes in American business, with Starbucks' stock surging on the news. At Starbucks, Niccol faces the challenge of reinvigorating the world's largest coffeehouse chain amid declining same-store sales and shifting consumer preferences. Before Chipotle, he served as CEO of Taco Bell, where he revitalized the brand through innovative marketing and menu development. His ability to transform major restaurant brands through operational excellence, digital innovation, and cultural relevance makes him one of the most in-demand executives in consumer business. His serial CEO success across Taco Bell, Chipotle, and now Starbucks demonstrates a rare and transferable ability to reinvigorate iconic American consumer brands.