SUCCESSION SPOTLIGHT: THE SECRET SAUCE THAT LANDED CHIPOTLE’S COO IN THE CEO SEAT

Nearly 80% of S&P 500 CEOs are promoted from within, most commonly from the COO post, according to a 2024 study by The Conference Board. Chipotle’s Scott Boatwright is part of this elite group: He ascended to the CEO position after seven years as COO, where he steered operations through transformative tech innovations like the “Autocado” (Chipotle’s high-tech solution to avocado cutting), built an innovative AI hiring platform, and fostered the people-first culture that Chipotle has become known for. In this fireside chat, Boatwright will unpack how the operational priorities that defined his COO tenure now serve as the foundation of his CEO strategy, with lots of lessons that every COO can dip into.