CEO of Chipotle Mexican Grill and Miami alum to give commencement speech

One of Uptown’s hottest spots for college students is the local Chipotle Mexican Grill. Soon, spring graduates will get to hear from the chain’s CEO and Miami University alum Brian Niccol at this year’s commencement ceremony.

Niccol received his bachelor of science in applied science, engineering management from the College of Engineering and Computing in 1996. On top of being a Miami alumnus, Niccol and his wife, Jennifer, are Miami mergers.

After graduating from Miami, Niccol worked in several brand management positions at Procter & Gamble (P&G) before entering the food industry through Yum! Brands. He held several executive positions at Pizza Hut, including chief marketing officer and general manager, before ending up at Chipotle in 2018.

Niccol looks forward to talking about how Miami equipped him with the tools needed to succeed.

“It's quite an honor, and I am humbled by the opportunity,” Niccol wrote in an email to The Miami Student.

Miami business students are excited to hear Niccol’s story of how he got to where he is and what a business-focused degree can do for them in the future. Ainsley Cook, a senior marketing major with an entrepreneurship minor, said she looks forward to the advice he will give on how to move forward after college.

“I think it is cool how the CEO of such a huge company would come back to his alma mater school to speak,” Cook said. “So if he could give advice on how to get from the small town of Oxford to where he is as a big CEO, that would be pretty cool.”

Niccol’s background extends far past the business world, allowing him to reach students not pursuing business careers.

“I was not a business major, rather I was in the engineering management program,” Niccol said. “And through the Miami Plan I got exposure to marketing and economics, two things I really enjoyed.”

Jules Jefferson, Associated Student Government (ASG) student body vice president and biochemistry and nutrition double major, said she anticipates Niccol will address success following college as a whole.

“I think he will inspire us by emphasizing how the skills you develop at Miami will propel your future career,” Jefferson said. “It’s less about the classes, but more about how we use these [skills] to work better as a team or go outside of our comfort zones.”

As a liberal arts university, Miami pushes students to take classes outside their set majors through the Miami Plan, which Niccol credits for his diverse set of skills. Because of this, Niccol hopes his message will resonate with all students.

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“The point of a liberal arts education is your ability to connect with others,” Jefferson said. “Like I’m going into healthcare, but that still requires leadership and teamwork, so it’s remembering how your future career might connect with someone else’s, which is why I think [Niccol] will appeal to everyone.”

The spring commencement ceremony will be held at 10:30 a.m. on May 18 in Yager Stadium.

patelou@miamioh.edu