Brian Niccol, the chief executive of Taco Bell, will replace Chipotle’s founder, Steve Ells, as chief executive on March 5. Brian Niccol, the CEO Who Got Chipotle Sizzling Again. Chipotle's CEO search comes to an end, with Taco Bell's Brian Niccol taking the position. Will he give Niccols enough room to operate? Mr. Ells founded Chipotle in 1993. By . Niccol's fast-food track record clashes with Chipotle's image of natural ingredients and health foods. Chipotle's CEO search comes to an end, with Taco Bell's Brian Niccol taking the position. Steve Ells (born September 12, 1965) is an American businessman. The company had lost more than $16 billion in market value after … [49] Operation and distribution [ … Niccol's fast-food track record clashes with Chipotle's image of natural ingredients and health foods. Chipotle's (NYSE: CMG) stock price went up over 12% upon the announcement of the change in leadership. Then the bombshell came, in February of 2018 Forbes, along with nearly every other media company, announced that Taco Bell’s golden-boy CEO Brian Niccol would be leaving Yum! Chipotle is committed to making its food more accessible to everyone while continuing to be a brand with a demonstrated purpose as it leads the way in digital, technology and sustainable business practices. Ells who graduated from the Culinary Institute of America, dreamed of opening a fine-dining restaurant but ran into the problem most entrepreneurs face; lack of funds. This startup story features Steve Ells, the founder of Chipotle. Mr. Ells founded Chipotle in 1993. There is NOT a National Chipotle Day. Prior to Chipotle, Scott spent 18 years with Arby’s Restaurant Group in various leadership positions, including for the last six years as the Sr. Vice President of Operations, where he was responsible for the performance of over 1,700 Arby’s restaurants in numerous states. Prior to launching Chipotle, Mr. Ells worked for two years at … Chipotle begins search for new CEO, Ells named executive chairman. Speculation about who’ll become the next CEO of Chipotle Mexican Grill is well underway.