Chief Executive Officer - Retail
About the Role
We are seeking a transformational Chief Executive Officer to lead a fast-scaling retail and food & beverage roll-up platform backed by private equity. The CEO will be responsible for building a high-performing organization capable of acquiring, integrating, and scaling multiple brands across a multi-state footprint. This leader must thrive in complexity, move with urgency, and know how to turn fragmented businesses into a unified, efficient, profitable platform.
The ideal candidate has deep multi-unit operating experience, a strong understanding of retail and food service dynamics, and a proven background partnering with private equity to accelerate growth, improve unit economics, and execute multi-brand consolidation strategies.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership & Value Creation
Define and execute the long-term vision and strategy for the roll-up platform.
Build an operating model capable of supporting rapid M&A, integration, and scalability.
Partner with private equity sponsors to align on key value drivers, investment priorities, and exit strategies.
M&A Integration & Platform Building
Lead the integration of acquired retail and F&B businesses, ensuring cultural alignment, operational discipline, and brand consistency.
Build playbooks for finance, HR, operations, supply chain, marketing, and technology integration.
Evaluate acquisition targets, conduct operational due diligence, and support deal execution.
Operational Excellence
Oversee a multi-brand, multi-unit operational infrastructure with a relentless focus on unit economics, margins, labor optimization, and guest experience.
Implement world-class processes and KPIs across all brands.
Drive cross-brand synergies in supply chain, procurement, marketing, and G&A.
Talent, Culture & Leadership
Build and develop a top-tier executive team capable of scaling aggressively and handling complexity.
Establish a high-performance culture grounded in accountability, clarity, and speed.
Mentor and empower operators, district leaders, and brand presidents to meet performance targets.
Financial Management & Reporting
Own P&L, budgeting, forecasting, and financial performance across all brands.
Drive EBITDA expansion through operational improvement, integration efficiencies, and disciplined cost management.
Provide transparent reporting and insights to the Board and private equity sponsors.
Brand & Customer Experience
Ensure each brand maintains a distinct identity while benefiting from shared infrastructure.
Oversee marketing, digital strategy, loyalty, and brand-building initiatives.
Elevate the customer experience across both retail and food & beverage verticals.
Growth & Expansion
Lead new unit development across markets while optimizing existing store portfolios.
Identify and execute opportunities for new market entry, brand extension, and digital expansion.
Drive scalable systems that support rapid growth without losing operational control.
Qualifications
15+ years of multi-unit leadership experience in retail, food & beverage, hospitality, franchising, or consumer services.
Significant experience working with private equity and leading PE-backed organizations.
Proven success in M&A integration, roll-ups, restructuring, or platform-building.
Deep operational expertise with a track record of improving unit-level performance.
Strong financial acumen and P&L ownership across large, complex organizations.
Exceptional leadership and communication skills with the ability to build high-performing teams.
Experience scaling from multi-unit to multi-brand environments preferred.
Ability to handle rapid growth, ambiguity, and pressure with clarity and discipline.
What Success Looks Like
A unified, scalable platform with strong systems, people, and infrastructure.
Increased profitability through smarter operations and disciplined integration.
Highly efficient back-office operations supporting multiple brands.
Strong growth through M&A, organic expansion, and brand optimization.
A culture of accountability and operational excellence across the entire portfolio.
A clear, compelling value creation story that positions the company for a successful exit.