BOSTON — Panera Bread announced two c-suite appointments: Chris Finazzo was named COO, and Victor Siqueira is the new chief supply chain officer, effective immediately. Finazzo will drive operational excellence and support sustainable growth across the Panera Bread system. Siqueira will oversee all supply chain functions, helping ensure a reliable, efficient and agile network that supports the brand’s strategic priorities. Both executives will report to CEO Paul Carbone.
“I am pleased to welcome Chris and Victor to the Panera Bread leadership team,” Carbone said. “They each bring proven leadership experience in the restaurant industry and strong track records of driving results at scale. Chris’ operational, commercial, brand and franchise experience, combined with Victor’s extensive supply chain expertise, will be invaluable as we advance Panera RISE, elevate the guest experience and position Panera for long-term growth.”
Finazzo brings more than 20 years of leadership experience in the restaurant, consumer and retail sectors, including seven years in senior leadership roles at Restaurant Brands International. He served as president of the Americas at Burger King, where he oversaw marketing, operations, franchising, field operations, finance and development for nearly 10,000 restaurants across the US, Canada and Latin America. Most recently, he was the chief commercial officer of United Parks & Resorts.
“Panera is an iconic brand with a loyal guest base, a strong operational foundation and tremendous opportunity ahead,” Finazzo said. “I am looking forward to working alongside our team members and franchisees to sharpen execution in our cafes, deepen consistency across the system and deliver the kind of guest experience that keeps our customers coming back.”
Siqueira brings extensive global supply chain and operational expertise to Panera, having led procurement, manufacturing, distribution and vertically integrated supply chain organizations for leading restaurant and consumer brands. Most recently, he led supply chain and CPG at Oakberry. Prior to that role, he was VP of supply chain at Tim Hortons.
“I am thrilled to join Panera at such an exciting time for the brand,” he said. “Panera has built a strong reputation for delivering exceptional experiences to guests, supported by a world-class supply chain network. I look forward to working alongside Paul, the leadership team and our team members to build a more resilient, efficient supply chain to advance the company’s strategic priorities.”
Finazzo and Siqueira join another recent c-suite hire, Earl Ellis, who joined Panera Bread last year as CFO.
