US-based fast-casual restaurant chain Panera Brands has appointed José Cil as the new chairman of its board of directors.
Panera Brands comprises Panera Bread, Einstein Bros Bagels and its regional brands, and Caribou Coffee.
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Cil brings extensive experience to the role, with a previous tenure as CEO of quick service restaurant company Restaurant Brands International (RBI).
He will work closely with Panera’s leadership team to drive growth and enhance guest experiences across its portfolio.
Cil succeeds Patrick Grismer, who has been nominated to serve on the board of Krispy Kreme.
Panera Brands CEO Paul Carbone stated: “José brings to Panera more than two decades of restaurant industry leadership experience and an impressive track record of innovation and execution, and I’m tremendously excited to work alongside him to continue powering our growth.”
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By GlobalData“I look forward to working with José and the leadership team to build a strong culture, to deliver an exceptional guest experience and to drive franchise profitability. I would also like to thank Patrick for all of his partnership during his time on the board and wish him the very best.”
During his time at RBI, Cil oversaw significant growth, including system-wide sales of more than $40bn and expansion to 30,000 restaurants in more than 100 countries.
His achievements include the global expansion of Burger King, Popeyes and Tim Hortons, and the acquisition of Firehouse Subs.
Cil’s earlier career comprised 20 years at Burger King, where he held leadership positions including global president, and was president of Burger King EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa). He also serves on the boards of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings and Restaurant Brands Europe.
Cil stated: “Panera Bread, Einstein Bros and Caribou Coffee are three widely beloved brands with incredible growth potential.”
“I look forward to working closely with the board, Paul and his management team to build a high-performance culture at Panera with a guest-first mindset and to stay laser-focused on delivering great guest experiences while serving high-quality and innovative food at a good value.”
Neil Golden, Buck Jordan, Andre Molinari, James Pappas, Emiliano Román and José Tomás have also been appointed to the Panera Brand companies board. Each brings unique experience to support the company’s growth.
Golden’s 25-year career at McDonald’s includes serving as chief marketing officer for McDonald’s USA from 2007 to 2014. Jordan, the founder and CEO of Vebu, has expertise in food industry automation.
Molinari, with development and mergers and acquisitions (M&A) knowledge, has served as head of global development and M&A for Restaurant Brands International and head of international development for Tim Hortons.
Pappas’s understanding of the food business, Román’s advisory experience and Tomás’s HR and operations expertise are also expected to support Panera Brands.
Gerhard Pleuhs and David Deno will continue their service on the Panera Brands board.
In March 2025, Panera Brands named Paul Carbone as its new CEO.
