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Chipotle founder to step down as CEO amid food-safety struggles

Chipotle founder Steve Ells will step down as CEO. Photo: Stephen Brashear / AP

Chipotle announced Wednesday that Steve Ells, who founded the burrito chain in 1993, will step down as CEO once they find a new leader to replace him, per CNBC. Ells will become executive chairman once the transition is complete.

Why it matters: The shakeup comes amid Chipotle's continued struggle to bounce back from repeated food-safety issues, from an E. coli crisis in 2015 to a norovirus outbreak earlier this year. The restaurant chain has tried several times restore its reputation, with new advertising campaigns and the introduction of queso to its menu. Now they're hoping a new leader can pull the chain out of its 2-year slump.

Go deeper

Jonathan Swan
5 hours ago - World

Top general: U.S. losing time to deter China

Stanley McChrystal. Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images

Stanley McChrystal, a top retired general and Biden adviser, tells Axios that "China's military capacity has risen much faster than people appreciate," and the U.S. is running out of time to counterbalance that in Asia and prevent a scenario such as it seizing Taiwan.

Why it matters: McChrystal, the former commander of U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan, recently briefed the president-elect as part of his cabinet of diplomatic and national security advisers. President-elect Joe Biden is considering which Trump- or Obama-era approaches to keep or discard, and what new strategies to pursue.

Go deeper (1 min. read)Arrow
Alexi McCammond
5 hours ago - Politics & Policy

Progressives shift focus from Biden's Cabinet to his policy agenda

Joe Biden giving remarks in Wilmington, Del., last month. Photo: Roberto Schmidt/AFP via Getty Images

Some progressives tell Axios they believe the window for influencing President-elect Joe Biden’s Cabinet selections has closed, and they’re shifting focus to policy — hoping to shape Biden's agenda even before he’s sworn in.

Why it matters: The left wing of the party often draws attention for its protests, petitions and tweets, but this deliberate move reflects a determination to move beyond some fights they won't win to engage with Biden strategically, and over the long term.

Go deeper (1 min. read)Arrow
Dave Lawler, author of World
7 hours ago - World

Venezuela's predictable elections herald an uncertain future

The watchful eyes of Hugo Chávez on an election poster in Caracas. Photo: Cristian Hernandez/AFP via Getty

Venezuelans will go to the polls on Sunday, Nicolás Maduro will complete his takeover of the last opposition-held body, and much of the world will refuse to recognize the results.

The big picture: The U.S. and dozens of other countries have backed an opposition boycott of the National Assembly elections on the grounds that — given Maduro's tactics (like tying jobs and welfare benefits to voting), track record, and control of the National Electoral Council — they will be neither free nor fair.

Go deeper (2 min. read)Arrow

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