Scott Boatwright
Summary
Scott Boatwright is Chipotle’s Chief Executive Officer and a board director, roles he has held since November 2024 after serving as interim CEO beginning in August 2024. ([ir.chipotle.com](https://ir.chipotle.com/management))
Biography
Boatwright joined Chipotle in May 2017 as Chief Restaurant Officer and later served as Chief Operating Officer, overseeing restaurant operations and working on service, throughput, technology adoption and employee retention. Before Chipotle, he spent 18 years at Arby’s Restaurant Group, where he held several leadership positions and most recently served as Senior Vice President of Operations, responsible for more than 1,700 restaurants. ([ir.chipotle.com](https://ir.chipotle.com/management)) After Brian Niccol’s departure in August 2024, Boatwright became interim CEO and was named permanent CEO and a board member on November 11, 2024. He holds an MBA from Georgia State University’s J. Mack Robinson College of Business and also serves on the board of Academy Sports and Outdoors. ([newsroom.chipotle.com](https://newsroom.chipotle.com/2024-08-13-CHIPOTLE-ANNOUNCES-CEO-DEPARTURE?utm_source=openai))
Notable achievements
- Led Chipotle restaurant operations during the company’s post-2017 operational expansion.
- Helped integrate new technology into restaurants and improve order throughput and the guest experience. ([ir.chipotle.com](https://ir.chipotle.com/management))
- Was associated by Chipotle with improved employee retention and stronger field and restaurant-team practices. ([newsroom.chipotle.com](https://newsroom.chipotle.com/2024-11-11-CHIPOTLE-NAMES-SCOTT-BOATWRIGHT-CHIEF-EXECUTIVE-OFFICER-AND-MEMBER-OF-THE-BOARD))
- Oversaw the company during a leadership transition that shareholders generally viewed as orderly and continuity-focused. ([sec.gov](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1058090/000114036125015614/ny20039347x771_def14a.htm?utm_source=openai))
- Under his leadership in 2025, Chipotle opened a record 334 company-owned restaurants and 11 international partner-operated restaurants. ([ir.chipotle.com](https://ir.chipotle.com/2026-02-03-CHIPOTLE-ANNOUNCES-FOURTH-QUARTER-AND-FULL-YEAR-2025-RESULTS?utm_source=openai))
Problem areas / controversies
- Chipotle’s comparable restaurant sales decreased 1.7% in 2025, with transactions down 2.9%, indicating weaker traffic during his first full year as CEO. ([ir.chipotle.com](https://ir.chipotle.com/2026-02-03-CHIPOTLE-ANNOUNCES-FOURTH-QUARTER-AND-FULL-YEAR-2025-RESULTS?utm_source=openai))
- Fourth-quarter 2025 comparable sales fell 2.5%, including a 3.2% decline in transactions, placing renewed pressure on restaurant execution and customer demand. ([ir.chipotle.com](https://ir.chipotle.com/2026-02-03-CHIPOTLE-ANNOUNCES-FOURTH-QUARTER-AND-FULL-YEAR-2025-RESULTS?utm_source=openai))
- Some shareholders criticized the large one-time retention awards granted after the 2024 CEO transition, including an award valued at $8 million for Boatwright; shareholder concern contributed to opposition to the company’s say-on-pay proposal. ([sec.gov](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1058090/000105809024000039/cmg-20240822.htm))
- There is no widely reported personal scandal or regulatory finding involving Boatwright in the reviewed public filings and reputable coverage.