ST. LOUIS — Panera Bread, a subsidiary of Panera Brands, has appointed Santhosh Kumar as its new chief information officer, starting on Feb. 12.
In his new position, Kumar will oversee the technology division of Panera Bread, taking charge of developing, integrating, and implementing technology solutions across the company’s more than 2,200 cafes, the company announced. He will also collaborate with the Panera Bread leadership team and franchisees to enhance the experience for team members and guests.
Prior to joining Panera Bread, Kumar worked at United Natural Food, Inc. (UNFI), where he spearheaded a multi-year warehouse transformation program and led cloud modernization and migration efforts, resulting in significant operational efficiencies and cost savings for the company. With almost 21 years of experience at Dunkin’ Brands, Inc., Kumar served as the senior vice president of IT, overseeing global IT operations and leading various retail and digital innovation projects, such as implementing new point-of-sale and back-office systems in all US restaurants and launching the Dunkin’ loyalty program.
“I am excited to have Santhosh join our leadership team at Panera Bread,” said Paul Carbone, interim CEO of Panera Bread. “With his strategic technology expertise, industry knowledge, and track record of building successful teams, Santhosh will play a key role in driving Panera’s ongoing growth and success in the ever-changing technology landscape.”