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El Pollo Loco names brand's 1st chief people officer

August 29, 2018

El Pollo Loco has named its first chief people officer, hiring Jennifer Jaffe,  a former cosmetics HR chief to serve in the role. assumes the role of senior 

Jaffe, who led the human resources function for Too Faced Cosmetics at Estee Lauder and oversaw the company's acquisition by Estée Lauder in 2016. has also served as AT&T's HR vice president and DirecTV vice president of talent development. 

"Jennifer brings the visionary and authentic leadership needed to help us create a truly amazing culture for our people, who in turn will continue to give our customers the best food and the best experience possible," El Pollo Loco President and CEO Bernard Acoca said in the release. 

Jaffe will now oversee all HR functions and work with management to transform and accelerate the company's focus on developing a people-first culture for El Pollo Loco's Support Center and more than 480 company-owned and franchised restaurants.

"El Pollo Loco's mission is centered on the idea of putting its people's needs and considerations first in everything the company does, and I look forward to playing a role in fostering that very important mission," Jaffe said in the release. 

El Pollo Loco's commitment to a people-first culture includes the recent launch of an extensive training program called Heart-Centered Leadership based on inspiring its workforce to lead with authenticity, humility and transparency. 

The company has also invested in Workplace by Facebook in all company-owned restaurants. The social media platform works to eliminate communications barriers between the support center and restaurant employees to further operations and a sense of community. 

El Pollo Loco now has 480 restaurants in Arizona, California, Nevada, Texas, Utah, and Louisiana, El Pollo Loco is expanding its presence in key markets through a combination of company and existing and new franchisee development.