Chief Executive Officer - Retail

Leap Brands

  • Atlanta, GA
  • 30+ days ago

    Highlights

    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. The CEO will be responsible for building a high-performing organization capable of acquiring, integrating, and scaling multiple brands across a multi-state footprint.

    Numbers & Facts

    LocationAtlanta, GA

    Description

    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.

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