Chipotle Mexican Grill is reshaping its leadership bench with two hires aimed at brand building and digital acceleration as it pushes ahead with its “recipe for growth” strategy.
Fernando Machado, who spent more than seven years as chief marketing officer at Restaurant Brands International, will join Chipotle as chief brand officer on June 1. In the role, he will oversee global marketing strategy, brand positioning and customer engagement. Machado’s background includes 18 years at Unilever and a stint as chief marketing officer at Activision Blizzard.
Chipotle said Machado’s appointment is intended to help deepen guest loyalty, highlight the value of its “real food” positioning and support long-term growth. The company described him as a proven brand builder with experience across Burger King, Popeyes and Tim Hortons.
At the same time, Chipotle created a chief digital officer role and named Arlie Sisson to fill it. Sisson will report to Curt Garner, president and chief strategy and technology officer. She most recently served as senior vice president, global head of digital, commercial services at Hyatt Hotels, where she led teams spanning product, design, engineering, loyalty, analytics and digital strategy.
Before Hyatt, Sisson founded and ran Uppurpose, a software-as-a-service company, and earlier held senior roles at Condé Nast and Marriott’s Starwood Hotels. Chipotle said her job will focus on advancing digital strategy, growing loyalty, improving restaurant operations and scaling technology.
The moves come as Chipotle continues to expand its footprint. The company said it had more than 4,000 restaurants as of Dec. 31, 2025, across the U.S., Canada, the U.K., France, Germany and the Middle East, and that it now employs more than 130,000 people. Following these announcements, the company's shares moved 0.91%, and are now trading at a price of $34.21. For the full picture, make sure to review CHIPOTLE MEXICAN GRILL INC's 8-K report.
