# Brian Niccol

> Brian Niccol is Starbucks’ chairman and chief executive officer, appointed in September 2024 after leading Chipotle and Taco Bell. An engineering management graduate who began in brand management at Procter & Gamble, he combines marketing with restaurant operations. His Back to Starbucks strategy centers on service speed, barista support and the community coffeehouse, with recovering sales accompanied by restructuring and store closures.

- **Role:** Chairman and Chief Executive Officer at Starbucks
- **Organizations:** Starbucks, Chipotle Mexican Grill, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, Procter & Gamble, Walmart
- **Nationality:** American
- **Education:** Bachelor of Applied Science, Engineering Management, Miami University, MBA, University of Chicago Booth School of Business
- **Known for:** Led Chipotle from 2018 to 2024 through expansion of digital ordering and order-ahead pickup lanes., During his final full quarter at Chipotle, Q2 2024 comparable restaurant sales increased 11.1%., Received a University of Chicago Booth Distinguished Alumni Award in 2020.

## Career timeline

- **1996** — Graduated from Miami University.
- **2005** — Joined Pizza Hut; subsequent leadership roles included chief marketing officer and general manager.
- **2011** — Joined Taco Bell as chief marketing and innovation officer.
- **2013** — Became president of Taco Bell.
- **2015** — Became Taco Bell CEO on January 1.
- **2018** — Became Chipotle CEO and director on March 5.
- **2020** — Added the Chipotle chairmanship in March.
- **2024** — Left Chipotle effective August 31 and began as Starbucks chairman and CEO on September 9; also joined Walmart’s board.

## Achievements

- Led Chipotle from 2018 to 2024 through expansion of digital ordering and order-ahead pickup lanes.
- During his final full quarter at Chipotle, Q2 2024 comparable restaurant sales increased 11.1%.
- Received a University of Chicago Booth Distinguished Alumni Award in 2020.
- Returned to Miami University as its 2024 commencement speaker.
- Starbucks reported four consecutive quarters of comparable store sales growth by Q3 fiscal 2026 under his leadership.

## Latest updates

- **2026-09** — Starbucks announced 250 additional North American store closures; employee union negotiations remained unresolved.
- **2026-09** — Marked two years as CEO and described Back to Starbucks as a continuing operating and growth roadmap.
- **2026-07** — Starbucks reported Q3 fiscal 2026 global comparable store sales growth of 7.9%, with transaction growth of 4.2%.
- **2026-04** — Starbucks completed its Boyu Capital China joint venture transaction, retaining 40% ownership.
- **2026-01** — Presented the Starbucks turnaround and longer-term plans at Investor Day in New York.

## Links

- Website: https://www.starbucks.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianniccol

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/brian-niccol
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-10-21