Chipotle, the American chain of Mexican food restaurants, has appointed Fernando Machado, known for his work as Global Marketing Director at Burger King, as Brand Director. He will assume his position effective June 1 and will be responsible for leading the global marketing strategy, brand positioning and customer relationship initiatives, all within the framework of the company’s strategic plan, “Recipe for Growth”, focused on innovation and the expansion of its global presence.
“Chipotle has built one of the most distinctive and culturally relevant brands in the industry”
Fernando Machado assumes the position that Chris Brandt held until January, and his incorporation responds to a strategic commitment by Chipotle in building the brand with a view to boosting business results. “Chipotle has built one of the most distinctive and culturally relevant brands in the industry, and I look forward to continuing to build on this strong foundation through authentic storytelling, focused product development, and meaningful consumer experiences.“Machado commented in a statement from the brand.
For his part, Scott Boatwright, CEO of the company, believes that Machado’s profile will boost strategic plans. “His proven track record in creating iconic brands, driving category-defining innovation, and leading customer-centric marketing strategies positions him to elevate our brand, strengthen our customer loyalty, highlight the value of our authentic food, and accelerate our long-term growth.”, he pointed out.
Along with Machado’s appointment, Chipotle has also confirmed that Stephanie Perdue, who served as interim Chief Marketing Officer following Brandt’s departure, has been promoted to Senior Vice President of Brand Marketing.
In addition, the chain has hired Arlie Sisson, until now Senior Vice President and Global Head of Digital for Commercial Services at Hyatt Hotels, as Chief Digital Officer.
The return of Fernando Machado to the restoration
This hiring marks Machado’s return to the restaurant sector and to a marketing management position, after several years linked to other contexts. In his last professional stage, Fernando Machado has been serving as dean of the Cannes Lions Brand Marketer Academy; as a member of the board of directors of the customer engagement platform Braze; and as an Operating Partner at Garnett Station Partners (GSP), a private equity firm specializing in franchising, multi-unit businesses and services.
Previously, in 2023, he assumed the position of Marketing Director at NotCo, a Chilean food technology start-up focused on plant-based products. He currently continues to collaborate with the company as Senior Marketing Advisor, in direct relationship with Matías Muchnick, CEO and Founder of NotCo.
Between April 2021 and April 2023, Fernando Machado served as Marketing Director of Activision Blizzard, where he led the marketing strategy for its portfolio of important video game franchises. He joined the video game company from Restaurant Brands International, of which he was a part for seven years. He worked as Global Marketing Director for brands such as Burger King, Popeyes and Tim Hortons.
He reached this position after assuming the responsibilities of Global Marketing Director at Burger King, where he promoted a new approach to fast food marketing with campaigns of great cultural impact. Works released by the brand under Machado’s leadership include “McWhopper”, “Google Home of the Whopper”, “Whopper Detour” and “Moldy Whopper”, which received the Outdoor Grand Prix at Cannes Lions 2021 and the Sol de Platino at El Sol that same year.
In this position, Machado was also responsible for the first comprehensive rebranding of the brand in twenty years and achieved great recognition for Burger King, which was distinguished as Customer of the Year at the D&AD awards in 2016 and One Show in 2018, was Creative Marketer of the Year at Cannes Lions 2017 and Creative Brand of the Year in the 2019 edition of the contest.
He also worked for 18 years at Unilever, holding various executive marketing leadership roles for the consumer brand portfolio. In his last stage at the multinational, he served as Global Vice President of Brand Development for some Dove lines. From this position he promoted the creation of “Beauty Sketches”, the campaign that won the Titanium Grand Prix at Cannes Lions 2013.
