BRIAN NICCOL
CHAIRMAN, CEO
CHIPOTLE MEXICAN GRILL
WHO: Hired as CEO of Chipotle (NYSE: CMG) in 2018, Brian Niccol moved the company from Colorado to Newport Beach. Has led the restaurant chain to being the most valuable publicly traded company based in Orange County with a $89B market cap as of May, counts over 3,400 locations. Previously led Yum Brands Inc.’s Taco Bell.
WHY: Niccol has focused sustainability efforts on three categories: food & animals, employees and the environment. This includes transitioning farmland to organic growing practices, donating to local community organizations via in-restaurant fundraisers, and diverting restaurant waste from landfills.
In 2021, Chipotle started basing a portion of the executive teams’ annual bonuses on the achievement of “brand purpose goals” the company sets each year, such as improving workforce retention rates, purchasing more locally grown ingredients, or establishing composting resources at restaurant locations.
IN THE NEWS: Chipotle announced a 50-for-1 stock split in March, one of the biggest splits in New York Stock Exchange history, partly to make its stock more accessible to employees. All general managers and crew members of over 20 years will receive stock grants once the split is effective.
NOTABLE: In January, Chipotle introduced a new employee assistance program and new benefits to provide additional financial wellness and mental well-being support for more than 110,000 employees. The company said these updates are to cater to the growing Gen Z employee population.
IN THEIR WORDS: “This will allow [employees] to participate in the financial success of the company. Bottom-line, Chipotle is changing lives for the better.”
