ST. LOUIS — Panera Brands, which includes Panera Bread and Einstein Bros. brands, announced key appointments to its board of directors to fortify the company as it enters its next growth phase.
Patrick Grismer, previously CFO of Starbucks and lead independent director of Panera, has been named board chair. Effective immediately, industry veteran David Deno will join the board and assume the role of audit committee chair.
“We are incredibly pleased to announce Pat’s appointment as board chair and to welcome David to our board at a key inflection point in Panera’s long-term growth trajectory,” said José Alberto Dueñas, CEO of Panera. “Pat has already made meaningful contributions to the board over the past two years, and David brings impressive depth and breadth of restaurant experience that will be instrumental to our future growth.”
Grismer has served on the Panera Brands board since 2022 and previously held CFO roles at multiple public companies.
“I am honored to serve in this role at a pivotal time for Panera Brands, as we transform our business to meet the evolving needs of our customers,” Grismer said. “I look forward to leading our board to continue partnering with Panera’s world-class management team to unlock the company’s next phase of growth.”
Deno brings more than 40 years of general management, operations and financial experience in the restaurant sector to the Panera Brands board. He most recently served as CEO at Bloomin’ Brands and previously held c-suite roles at various companies.
“Following decades working with many beloved restaurant and hospitality brands, the opportunity to join Panera — a pioneer of the fast-casual experience — is incredibly exciting for me,” Deno said. “I believe Panera has tremendous potential to once again redefine fast-casual success and look forward to working with this experienced board to help Panera enter a new chapter.”
