ST. LOUIS — Fast-casual bakery chain Panera Bread tapped Nikka Copeland as senior VP to lead the charge of its recently created Office of Transformation and Strategy.
In this role, Copeland will oversee the strategic execution of Panera’s three-year growth plan, driving the company’s efforts to achieve sustained performance and expansion. She brings a strong track record of leading complex global transformations, with more than 20 years of experience across multiple industries, including foodservice. Copeland will report to Paul Carbone, CEO of Panera.
“I look forward to working closely with Nikka as we develop and execute our strategic plan to build a culture of highly engaged and empowered teams, deliver an exceptional guest experience and increase franchisee profitability,” Carbone said. “Nikka brings a wealth of experience in finance, strategy and operations that will prove invaluable as we create the blueprint to scale and grow Panera for the future.”
Most recently, Copeland served as senior VP, business services domain lead at World Kinect. Prior to that, she held finance and strategy positions at National Grid, Aflac and Burger King Corp. She has cultivated a reputation for leading enterprise-wide initiatives and aligning people, process and technology around strategic outcomes.
“I’m excited to join Panera at a time of such remarkable growth potential and to work alongside a talented team to drive meaningful change that brings purpose and strategy together into action,” Copeland said. “Together, we will focus on delivering a great guest experience, high-quality food and good value to accelerate Panera’s momentum and transform the company for sustained growth and profitability.”
