Paul J. Brown
{{short description|American businessman}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Paul Brown
| image = Paul Brown.jpg
| birth_date =
| birth_place =
| death_date =
| death_place =
| education = Georgia Institute of Technology (BS)
Northwestern University (MS, MBA)
| occupation = Co-Founder and CEO of Inspire Brands
}}
Paul J. Brown is an American businessman and the co-founder and chief executive officer of Inspire Brands.{{cite web|title=The CEO who turned around Arby's says much of his success should be attributed to an advantage most CEOs don't have|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/inspire-brands-paul-brown-patient-shareholders-2018-2|website=Business Insider|date=February 22, 2018}} He is the former chief executive officer of Arby’s.{{cite web|title=Paul J Brown Chief Executive Officer, Arbys Restaurant Group Inc |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/profile/person/15113762|website=Bloomberg|access-date=August 10, 2019}}
Education
Brown is an alumnus of Georgia Tech where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in management.{{cite web|title=Scheller College Undergraduate Student Interviews College alumnus Paul Brown, CEO of Inspire Brands|url=https://www.scheller.gatech.edu/news-events/latest-news/2018/articles/scheller-college-undergraduate-student-interviews-college-alumnus-paul-brown.html|website=Scheller College of Business|date=November 26, 2018}} He also received an MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management and a Master of Engineering Management from the Robert R. McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science.{{cite web|title=Paul Brown: The Listener |url=https://www.restaurantbusinessonline.com/leadership/paul-brown-listener|website=Restaurant Business|date=March 14, 2017}}
Career
=Early career=
Brown was previously the President of Brands and Commercial Services of Hilton Worldwide, President of Expedia North America and Senior Vice President of Global Brand Services at InterContinental Hotels Group. He also held positions with The Boston Consulting Group and McKinsey & Company.{{cite web|title=Paul Brown Executive Profile |url=http://www.atlantatrend.org/news/137-news-june-2016/1112-paul-brown-executive-profile-atlanta-trend|website=Atlanta Trend|date=May 31, 2016}}{{cite web|title=Arby's do-or-die moment |url=https://www.franchisetimes.com/October-2015/Arbys-do-or-die-moment/|website=Franchise Times|date=September 28, 2015}}
=Arby’s (2013–2018)=
In May 2013, Brown became Chief Executive Officer of Arby’s.{{cite web|title=Arby's names Paul Brown CEO|url=https://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/news/2013/04/30/arbys-names-paul-brown-ceo.html|website=Atlanta Business Chronicle|date=April 30, 2013}} During his tenure as CEO of Arby’s, the brand introduced a new restaurant design and launched the “We Have The Meats” marketing campaign.{{cite web|title= Arby's is betting $3.9 billion that its customers don't want fake meat |url=https://www.fastcompany.com/90370906/arbys-is-betting-customers-dont-want-fake-meat|website=Fast Company|date=July 22, 2019}} Brown also introduced new menu items including smokehouse brisket, pork belly, gyros, deep-fried turkey, and venison.{{cite web|title=How humor saved Arby's and propelled it to the forefront of pop culture|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2019/04/16/how-humor-saved-arbys-and-bolstered-its-brand.html|website=CNBC|date=April 16, 2019}} Brown led Arby’s international development agreements to expand in to Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt.{{cite web|title=Before Buying Buffalo Wild Wings, Arby's CEO Talks Turning the Company Around|url=https://www.thestreet.com/video/13859141/here-s-how-arby-s-has-managed-to-serve-up-one-mind-blowing-sales-streak.html|website=The Street|date=November 18, 2017}}
In 2017, under Brown’s leadership, Fortune named Arby’s to its 100 Best Workplaces list for Millennials, Women, and Diversity.{{cite web|title=Great Place to Work® and FORTUNE Name Arby's One of the Best Workplaces for Women|url=https://www.marketwatch.com/press-release/great-place-to-work-and-fortune-name-arbys-one-of-the-best-workplaces-for-women-2017-09-18|website=MarketWatch|date=September 18, 2017}} Restaurant Business credited Brown for the turnaround of the Arby’s business.{{cite web|title=Arby's Paul Brown named Restaurant Leader of the Year |url=https://www.restaurantbusinessonline.com/arbys-paul-brown-named-restaurant-leader-year|website=Restaurant Business|date=March 13, 2017}}
=Inspire Brands (2018–present)=
In February 2018, Brown and Neal Aronson of Roark Capital Group founded Inspire Brands when Arby’s completed its acquisition of Buffalo Wild Wings for $2.9 billion.{{cite web|title=Buffalo Wild Wings to Be Acquired by Arby's in Deal Worth $2.9 Billion |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/buffalo-wild-wings-to-be-acquired-by-arbys-in-2-9-billion-cash-deal-1511871878 |website=The Wall Street Journal|date=November 28, 2017}}
In December 2018, under Brown’s leadership, Inspire completed its acquisition of SONIC Drive-In for $2.3 billion.{{cite web|title=Burger chain Sonic to be acquired by Arby's parent company in $2.3 billion deal|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2018/09/25/restaurant-chain-sonic-to-be-acquired-by-inspire-brands.html|website=CNBC|date=September 15, 2018}}
In October 2019, Inspire completed its acquisition of sandwich chain Jimmy John’s.{{cite web|title=Arby's owner will be 'very selective' about its next move after closing Jimmy John's deal|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2019/10/21/inspire-brands-will-be-selective-about-next-steps-after-closing-jimmy-johns-deal.html|website=CNBC|date=October 21, 2019}}
Inspire Brands on October 25, 2020, announced that it was buying Dunkin' Brands for $11.3 billion.{{cite web|url=https://www.ft.com/content/1ca30979-022d-4b7a-ac99-b2c37f5829cd |last1=Fontanella-Khan |first1=James |last2=Aliaj |first2=Ortenca |last3=Gray |first3=Alistair |last4=Temple |first4=Patrick |date=October 25, 2020 |title=Dunkin' closes in on $9bn sale to Inspire Brands |work=Financial Times |access-date=October 26, 2020 |url-access=subscription}}{{cite web|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/inspire-brands-to-acquire-dunkin-brands-group-for-11-3-billion-including-debt-11604102999 |last=Haddon |first=Heather |date=October 30, 2020 |title=Inspire Brands to Acquire Dunkin' Brands Group for $11.3 Billion Including Debt |work=Wall Street Journal |access-date=October 30, 2020 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201031023531/https://www.wsj.com/articles/inspire-brands-to-acquire-dunkin-brands-group-for-11-3-billion-including-debt-11604102999 | archive-date=2020-10-31 | issn=0099-9660 | oclc=781541372 | url-status=live | df=dmy-all}}
The acquisition was completed on December 15, 2020.{{Cite web|date=2020-12-15|title=Inspire Brands Completes Acquisition of Dunkin' Brands|url=https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20201215005741/en/Inspire-Brands-Completes-Acquisition-of-Dunkin%E2%80%99-Brands|access-date=2020-12-15|website=www.businesswire.com|language=en}}
Boards and awards
Brown was named by Business Insider in 2019 as one of the 100 People Transforming Business.{{cite web|title=INTRODUCING: The 10 people transforming retail |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/10-people-transforming-retail-2019-3|website=Business Insider|date=April 15, 2019}} He was also named a 2018 Norman Award recipient by Nation’s Restaurant News, a 2018 Silver Plate honoree by IFMA, the 2017 Restaurant Leader of the Year by Restaurant Business, and a 2016 Entrepreneur of the Year in Retail and Consumer Products in the Southeast by EY.{{cite web|title=2018 Norman Award winner: Paul Brown|url=https://www.nrn.com/people/2018-norman-award-winner-paul-brown|website=Nation's Restaurant News|date=September 27, 2018}}
Brown is chairman of the board of directors of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. He also serves on the boards of the Georgia Tech Foundation, the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce Executive Committee and several other community organizations.
References
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Category:American chief executives of food industry companies
Category:Kellogg School of Management alumni
Category:Northwestern University alumni
Category:Businesspeople from Atlanta
Category:Year of birth missing (living people)