Path to Power José E. Cil, RBI

Path to Power: José E. Cil

José E. Cil is Chief Executive Officer of Restaurant Brands International Inc. (RBI) and has set out to build the most loved restaurant brands in the world: Burger King®, Tim Hortons® and Popeyes®.

He brings to the role a 20-year track record of result-driven leadership at Burger King, most recently serving as Global President. RBI generates approximately $33 billion in annual system-wide sales, offering an exceptional guest experience in each one of its more than 27,000 restaurants in more than 100 countries. Through its Restaurant Brands for Good framework, RBI is improving sustainable outcomes related to food, the planet, and people and communities.

In 2021, José was named Restaurant Leader of the Year by Restaurant Business Magazine. He was recognized for his collaborative leadership style and for his vision and ability to drive growth for RBI brands in home markets and across the globe. In addition, South Florida Business Journal named him a 2021 South Florida Ultimate CEO honoree.

José was formerly on the board of directors for Carrols Restaurant Group, Inc., Burger King’s largest franchisee, and served as co-chairman of the Burger King McLamore Foundation, an organization that creates brighter futures through education and emergency relief. Earlier in his career, he held the position of Vice President and Regional General Manager for Walmart Stores Inc. in Florida.

A leader in his community, José is involved in organizations that promote the economic development of Florida. He serves as a council member on the Florida Council of 100 and as a board member of Enterprise Florida. José is also an active member of the Orange Bowl Committee, which promotes South Florida through an annual football game and community events.

He is a graduate of Tulane University and started his career practicing law after earning his Juris Doctor from the University of Pennsylvania Law School. Q: How did you get started in the hospitality industry? A: It was more than 20 years ago that I joined Burger King as an in-house lawyer and began this amazing journey that has taken me across different areas of the business and the globe. At every step, I’ve met (and continue to meet) amazing people — employees, franchisees and their team members — who obsess about our guests and their experiences with our brands. Growing up, I spent a lot of time at Lum’s, the casual dining chain that was everywhere in Miami in the ’70s and ’80s. My dad was district general manager, and I loved being in the restaurants with him when I was a kid. There was a strong team dynamic and energy that revolved around keeping guests happy. I still feel it today.

Q: Early in your career, what was the most valuable lesson that you learned? A: To stay focused on your job or current

assignment and do it well. I know it sounds simple, but those are usually the most impactful lessons learned in life. It was back in 2007, during my first assignment in Europe, when a colleague, Barbara Heim (she was our VP of human resources), noticed that I was preoccupied with what came next — the next step in the corporate ladder. I was so obsessed with what would come next, that I was ignoring the details of my current job and wasn’t doing it as well as I could. It’s a tough concept to grasp early on — that performing in the moment is the best way to secure opportunities in the future. I’m grateful for the advice and share it often.

Q: Do you have any mentors who were instrumental in helping you achieve your goals? A: I’m fortunate to have several and have benefited from them at different phases of my career. When he was COO at Burger King, Jim Hyatt gave me the opportunity to move from the legal team to the business side and shared relevant insights about our franchisees, including what they value most. Daniel Schwartz was there for my transition from Burger King President in Europe to Burger King Global President, and later to RBI CEO, and helped me shift my focus from managing the business day-to-day to building great teams and thinking big. Part of the process was relying on the team that I built up around me, and I believe it’s given me the confidence and space to be a more effective leader.

Q: It looks like Restaurant Brands International (RBI) has a very robust internship program. What are you looking for when recruiting for this program? A: It’s a competitive program that has been recognized with awards, but to me, the most rewarding part is seeing how quickly our interns jump in and take ownership of projects. Leading candidates are curious and open to challenging the status quo. We value creativity and innovation — finding ways to do things differently to make them better — and our interns never fail to deliver. Fortunately for us, many stay on and become our future leaders.

“Our franchisees are really creative and know their markets well, so I’m always impressed with their ideas and their willingness to share what’s working with others.

Q: Is RBI taking any special measures in the face of the labor shortage in the hospitality industry to recruit and retain talent? A: We are working closely with franchisees to support them and share best practices, including new approaches like accepting applications via text message to make it easy for prospective team members to apply and be considered for employment. Our franchisees are really creative and know their markets well, so I’m always impressed with their ideas and their willingness to share what’s working with others.

Q: What is the single greatest factor in the success of your career? A: Hard work. Another simple concept, but true, and it’s within each of us. There will always be someone who attended a better school, has a deeper network or came from privilege, but working hard is accessible to everyone. It’s why “be a hardworking, good person” is one of our values at RBI.

Q: What excites you most about the future and RBI? A: The positive changes we are moving forward through our Restaurant Brands for Good platform focused on our food, planet, people and communities. Check it out at RBI.com/sustainability. It boils down to purpose and making an impact that extends beyond profits. It’s what guests and employees expect. So, we’ve created a roadmap to help us measure and positively affect big issues, such as animal welfare, climate change and diversity. We’re on a path and inspired by the progress we are making, knowing there is much more to do.

Q: Technology is transforming the restaurant industry. In your view, does it hinder or enable hospitality? A: Like everything in hospitality, we need to listen to guests and deliver experiences that meet or exceed their expectations. There’s a lot of promise in our apps, loyalty programs and digital menu boards. Consider a guest at a Burger King drive-thru in Miami on a hot August afternoon. They pull up to a digital menu board that welcomes them by name, displays their regular order and rewards balance, and recommends a refreshing cold drink. Our franchisees benefit too — from tighter relationships with guests via apps that allow personalized content to a faster purchase experience to maintaining their relevance with the next generation. Our future success as a company will depend on our ability to create memorable experiences for our guests everyday through our technology and digital platforms.

Q: Is there anything that you would like to share with Florida’s hospitality industry? A: I’d like to commend everyone for making it through such extraordinary times. We’ve faced challenges we could never have imagined and found ways to continue our service to guests and be there for employees. It’s not been easy, but our industry should be proud of how we showed up. The FRLA deserves much credit for creating a businessfriendly state and advocating on behalf of members.

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