P.F. Chang's announces Eduardo Luz as Chief Executive Officer and President

Luz, most recently Chief Brand & Concept Officer at Panera Bread, will lead the fast-growing iconic Asian brand

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Oct. 23, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- P.F. Chang's® China Bistro, Inc. (the "Company") today announced that Eduardo Luz has been appointed the Company's Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and President effective today, concluding a comprehensive search.

An accomplished business leader and brand builder, Mr. Luz brings extensive experience from Panera Bread, where he served as Chief Brand & Concept Officer, leading all disciplines driving profitable sales and brand equity. These include strategy, channel P&Ls, digital, loyalty, subscriptions, pricing, culinary, guest experience, advertising, design, media, and sustainability. Before Panera, Mr. Luz served in various leadership positions at The Kraft Heinz Company including Global Brand Officer and Chief Marketing Officer for the U.S., President of the Grocery Business Unit, and Zone President North America for H.J. Heinz. Mr. Luz also served as CEO for 8Greens, a digital wellness startup. He started his career at Accenture as a management consultant. Mr. Luz holds an MBA degree from The Wharton School.

"I am humbled and honored with the opportunity to lead the phenomenal team at P.F. Chang's and, together, to aggressively grow this iconic, category-leading global brand," said Mr. Luz. "I believe that P.F. Chang's has a tremendous omni-channel opportunity, both domestically and abroad. We will broaden our reach as we offer high-quality Asian cuisine and hospitality, proudly serving freshly prepared, chef-created dishes with a differentiated guest experience."

"Eduardo brings deep industry experience and a unique set of skills to take advantage of P.F. Chang's leadership in high-quality Chinese-inspired Asian food service. His expertise in marketing, consumer experience, operations and the growing fast casual category provide us market-leading capabilities," said John Paulson of Paulson & Company, the Company's lead investor.

"As Interim Chief Executive Officer, I have had the privilege of leading and enabling a very talented team to rapidly grow the Company in a highly profitable manner. I am delighted for Eduardo to take over as permanent CEO to grow the Bistros in traffic and in number on a profitable basis, and to continue to roll out a compelling omni-channel offering," said Rohit Manocha, co-founder of TriArtisan Capital Advisors, co-owner of P.F. Chang's.

About P.F. Chang's
Founded in 1993 by Philip Chiang and Paul Fleming, P.F. Chang's is the first internationally recognized multi-unit Asian culinary brand to honor and celebrate the 2,000-year-old tradition of wok cooking as the center of the guest experience. With roots in Chinese cuisine, today's menu at P.F. Chang's spans across all of Asia, honoring cultures and recipes from Japan, Korea, Thailand, and beyond. Each item offers a unique exploration of flavor, whether it's a handcrafted cocktail, wok-fired lunch bowl, or celebratory multi-course dinner. Worldwide, P.F. Chang's has more than 300 restaurants in 22 countries and U.S. airport locations, including a growing number of convenient P.F. Chang's To Go locations offering takeout and delivery. For more P.F. Chang's news, visit pfchangs.com.

SOURCE P.F. Chang’s