Tortilla has appointed founder Brandon Stephens as group CEO in a leadership team reshuffle as Andy Naylor steps down after eight years with the Mexican restaurant chain.
Stephens founded Tortilla in 2007 and served as CEO until 2014. He currently serves as a non-executive director but will return as group CEO to lead the company’s ”next phase of development”.
In the role, he will focus on long-term strategy, concept and brand innovation, food development, a technology roadmap, property selection, business development and investor relations.
Among other changes, Mac Plumpton will join as UK CEO. He most recently served as managing director of Leon and previously co-founded Tapas Revolution. Plumpton also brings operational experience from senior roles at Rosa’s Thai, Belgo, Strada and Planet Hollywood.
Marta Pogroszewska, who previously held the position of managing director at Gail’s parent company, Bread Holdings, will join the board as non-executive director.
Mexican chef Edson Diaz-Fuentes will join the senior leadership team as food ambassador. He previously worked at fast-casual Mexican chain Benito’s Hat, served as head of menu innovation at Wahaca, and founded Mexican restaurant chain Santo Remedio. As food ambassador, Diaz-Fuentes will work alongside the Tortilla food team to enhance the core offering and extend the menu.
Meanwhile, Francesca Tiritiello, who is the former CFO of Yum Europe, has stepped down from the board to assume a more active role as board advisor, leading UK and European franchise development through her franchise advisory firm Kikkirossi.
Non-executive director and Audit Committee chair Keith Down has also decided to step down from the board to pursue other business interests. Recruitment for a new Audit Committee chair is underway with a further announcement to be made by Tortilla “in due course”.
Under the refreshed leadership team, the company will focus on five key strategic initiatives including to enhance and broaden the food offering over the next 18 months, and to convert the remaining corporate-owned Fresh Burritos stores in France to Tortilla-branded stores by the end of 2026.
It also plans to address the short tail of underperforming UK stores to eliminate loss-making sites, to prove the European franchise rollout model in France to set the stage for a first territory-wide or regional franchise deal on the continent by the end of 2026, and to deploy AI-enabled tools and a data-driven approach across the organisation.
“I’m pleased to be returning to lead Tortilla through its next chapter,” said Stephens. ”We have built something meaningful, but there is significant work ahead. The experienced leadership team we have assembled are fully aligned on putting the customer first, investing in our product, and building a sustainable, pan-European business.”
Naylor added: “It has been a privilege to serve as CEO of Tortilla. I am proud of what we have achieved together, most recently delivering a record year of profitability in the UK and making the first steps of our journey of European expansion.
“I believe now is the right time for new leadership to take the business forward. I leave Tortilla in capable hands and wish Brandon, Mac, and the entire team every success.”
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