Dive Brief:

• Chipotle has hired Stephen Piacentini as chief development officer, effective June 19, the company said Wednesday in a press release.
• Piacentini succeeds Tabassum Zalotrawala, who left her position in March to become SVP and U.S. chief development officer at McDonald’s. 
• Piacentini previously spent four years at Wendy’s, eventually rising to U.S. chief development officer, where he led the company's domestic unit growth. 

Dive Insight:

In his new role, Piacentini will likely be instrumental in the Chipotle’s drive to reach 7,000 units in North America.

The fast casual chain has leaned heavily on its mobile pickup lane design, Chipotlanes, as part of its growth strategy since these units have higher average unit volumes than traditional restaurants. The company plans to open 255 to 285 units this year, of which 80% will have a Chipotlane. Chipotle has also been testing new store designs including a digital-only Chipotlane restaurant and an environmentally “responsible” store design. 

While at Wendy’s, Piacentini worked with existing franchisees, recruited new operators and and activated real estate opportunities to open new restaurants. He also rolled out programs to help growth-minded franchisees help build their portfolios and supported the company’s global expansion. Prior to Wendy’s, Piacentini spent nearly a year at Jimmy John’s as chief development officer and over 13 years at Taco Bell in various positions in finance and development. 

“Stephen’s development experience will be instrumental for Chipotle as our organization enters its highest growth period in history,” said Chris Brandt, chief brand officer at Chipotle. “His expertise in domestic and international markets will help us accomplish our goal of increasing access to our real food around the world.”