James Butler

Senior Vice President, Corporate Strategy Officer and Chief Supply Chain Officer at Brinker International

Speaker

James Butler is a senior enterprise leader recognized for shaping corporate strategy, modernizing operating models, and enabling sustained growth through disciplined execution. As Senior Vice President, Corporate Strategy Officer & Chief Supply Chain Officer, he plays a pivotal role in both defining the organization’s strategic direction and ensuring that its operating model is designed to deliver on that ambition. His work centers on clarifying how the business creates value, aligning capabilities to growth priorities, and driving simplicity across complex systems to unlock efficiency, capacity, and speed.

With more than two decades of leadership experience across large, consumer-centric companies, James brings a rare blend of strategic insight and operational depth. He is known for diagnosing root causes at the enterprise level, simplifying structures and processes, and building momentum behind transformation. His approach bridges long-range strategy with day-to-day operating discipline—ensuring bold growth initiatives translate into measurable results.

James has led major cross-functional initiatives that redesigned operating models, strengthened cost productivity, modernized technology platforms, and improved network resilience. His leadership has delivered stronger service performance, enhanced financial outcomes, and greater organizational alignment. A trusted advisor to the CEO and executive team, he helps shape future-state capabilities and embed a culture of accountability and continuous improvement.

Committed to developing leaders and building high-performance teams, James focuses on cultivating organizations that are agile, customer-driven, and prepared for growth. He remains dedicated to enabling simpler, smarter, and more scalable ways of working that position companies to win in dynamic markets.