10 Panera Bread executives
Chief Executive Officer & President, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Chief Restaurant Officer and Chief Procurement Officer are among the current titles held by these Panera Bread executives. A reader can learn how executives lead Panera Bread from people who have held the role.
Professionals to explore
Ashil Bijou
LinkedInExperience: Chief Procurement Officer · Panera Bread
Ashil Bijou has been Chief Procurement Officer at Panera Bread since September 2023, based in Collierville, Tennessee. Ashil Bijou was Chief Procurement Officer at Monogram Foods from March 2023 to October 2023, Vice President and Head of Procurement there from January 2020 to February 2023 and Senior Director Procurement at Conagra Brands from 2017 to 2020.
Earl Ellis
LinkedInExperience: Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer · Panera Bread
Earl Ellis has been Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at Panera Bread since October 2025 and a Member Board of Directors and Audit Committee Chair at Xylem since March 2023. Earl Ellis held the Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer title at ABM Industries from November 2020 to September 2025.
Gregg Waterman
LinkedInExperience: Chief Supply Chain & Manufacturing Officer · Panera Bread
Gregg Waterman has been Chief Supply Chain & Manufacturing Officer at Panera Bread since January 2020, based in Boston. Gregg Waterman was SVP KFC Supply Chain at Restaurant Supply Chain Solutions, LLC - A Yum! Brands Co-op from August 2018 to January 2020 and Vice President, Supply Chain, Cold Drink Equipment at The Coca-Cola Company from 2014 to 2016.
Jeff Harman
LinkedInExperience: Chief Restaurant Officer · Panera Bread
Jeff Harman has been Chief Restaurant Officer at Panera Bread since December 2025, based in the Chicago area. Jeff Harman was Interim Chief Operations Officer at Panera Bread from May 2025 to July 2026, Senior Vice President there from October 2024 to May 2025 and Senior Vice President Operations from January 2021 to October 2023.
Jonathan Braatvedt
LinkedInExperience: SVP, Ops Strategy & Innovation · Panera Bread
Jonathan Braatvedt has been SVP, Ops Strategy & Innovation at Panera Bread since March 2026. Jonathan Braatvedt was SVP Mid Atlantic Field Operations & Operation Services / Interim COO at CAVA from January 2025 to March 2026 and Senior Vice President, Operation Services & New Restaurant Openings at CAVA from June 2023 to March 2025.
Nikka Copeland
LinkedInExperience: SVP, Office of Transformation and Strategy · Panera Bread
Nikka Copeland has been SVP, Office of Transformation and Strategy at Panera Bread since June 2025, based in Miami. Nikka Copeland was SVP, Business Services Domain Lead at World Kinect from June 2018 to May 2025, Senior Vice President Finance there from January 2016 to June 2018 and VP-Finance and Strategy at National Grid from 2011 to 2015.
Paul Carbone
LinkedInExperience: Chief Executive Officer & President · Panera Brands, Inc.
Paul Carbone has been Chief Executive Officer & President at Panera Brands, Inc. since January 2025 and a Board Member there since January 2025. Paul Carbone was Chief Financial Officer at Panera Brands, Inc. from August 2023 to January 2025, Chief Financial Officer at SharkNinja from January 2022 to January 2023 and Chief Financial Officer at YETI from 2018 to 2022.
Rob Passanisi
LinkedInExperience: SVP, Categories, Insights, Media, & Strategy · Panera Bread
Rob Passanisi has been SVP, Categories, Insights, Media, & Strategy at Panera Bread since January 2020, based in the Boston area. Rob Passanisi was SVP, Strategy, Insights and Analytics at Panera Bread from January 2014 to January 2020 and Vice President, Customer Engagement Marketing (Loyalty) there from January 2012 to January 2014.
Rosie Rock Rogers
LinkedInExperience: Senior Vice President, HRBP, Corporate Functions and Retail Operations · Panera Bread
Rosie Rock Rogers has been Senior Vice President, HRBP, Corporate Functions and Retail Operations at Panera Bread since October 2023, based in Galena, Ohio. Rosie Rock Rogers was Senior Vice President, HRBP Retail Operations at Panera Bread from January 2021 to October 2023 and Vice President, Human Resources, Global Footwear, Global Merchandising, and Global Categories at Nike from January 2020 to November 2020.
Whitney Hewitt, MBA
LinkedInExperience: SVP Development Innovation and Growth · Panera Bread
Whitney Hewitt has been SVP Development Innovation and Growth at Panera Bread since December 2023 and was Transformation Office Lead (concurrent to SVP role) there from August 2025 to May 2026. The profile says the SVP role oversaw real estate, strategy, construction, facilities, design and franchise real estate teams. Whitney Hewitt was VP Off Premise Channel Growth at Panera Bread from February 2020 to March 2023.
Choose the right perspective
Match the person's function to the decision you face, since a finance officer, a supply chain or procurement officer and an operations or strategy leader see different parts of the company. Check the dates on each person's roles to judge how recent their experience is.
Questions to take into the conversation
- 01What did you focus on first when you took on your current executive role, and why?
- 02How do you decide which issues need your own attention and which your leadership group should own?
- 03What has your own work taught you about leading people in a restaurant company?
Reaching Panera Bread executives
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About this directory
This is a professional research starting point based on business profile data retrieved on . Titles and companies reflect that source snapshot; roles marked former had ended by then. Check the linked profiles for current details. Inclusion does not imply Instant Expert membership or availability.