The Albers Executive Speaker Series Presents Taco Bell CEO Sean Tresvant

The first Black CEO of the $33 billion fast food brand, a Seattle native and an MBA alumnus of Albers, has earned plaudits for his marketing and brand work at Taco Bell and, prior to this, Nike/Jordan. Join us as he talks about his journey, his marketing philosophy, and what it takes to be a successful global player in a hyper-competitive industry.

Register to save your seat and ask questions of our guest speaker. This event is free and open to the public.

• What: Live panel discussion with Sean Tresvant, CEO of Taco Bell
• When: Thursday, February 8th, 2024
• Time: 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.
• Where: Pigott Auditorium, Seattle University, 901 12th Avenue, Seattle, WA 98122

Sean Tresvant joined Taco Bell in January 2022 as the Global Chief Brand Officer. In February 2023, he was elevated to Global Chief Brand & Strategy Officer, and in January 2024 he became CEO of Taco Bell, succeeding CEO Mark King after his retirement at the end of 2023.

As Global Chief Brand Officer, Sean led a multi-functional team to fuel the cult of Taco Bell, overseeing Strategy, Global Communications functions, Food Innovation, Architecture & Design, as well as the Taco Bell International business. As CEO, he assumes global responsibility for driving Taco Bell’s growth strategies, franchise operations and overall performance.

Sean is leading Taco Bell into a new age of transformative global marketing, spearheading boundary-pushing, multi-dimensional efforts that drive culture, initiate change and create impact. Since joining Taco Bell, Sean has set a powerful strategic framework that has created iconic moments within culture and driven massive awareness and buzz for the brand, notably the Mexican Pizza Return in April 2022, when he tapped pop star Doja Cat and country music icon Dolly Parton to rally behind the movement. He has empowered fan voices through the brand’s Voting program; found new ways to connect with fans through the Drag Brunch Tour and Metaverse Weddings; and is even working to liberate “Taco Tuesday”— because when tacos win, we all win.

Sean is a founding member of the Black Executive CMO Alliance (BECA) where he creates and advocates for opportunity and access for Black marketing professionals. Before his time at Taco Bell, Sean spent over 15 years at Nike working his way up from Director of Marketing for the Americas to Chief Marketing Officer for the Jordan brand. He also spent time at Time Inc.’s Sports Illustrated brand and PepsiCo.

Born and raised in Seattle, Sean received his MBA from Seattle University’s Albers School of Business and Economics and his BA and MA in Communications from Washington State University, where he also played basketball for the Cougars. Outside of work, Sean enjoys spending time with his two children, is an avid art collector and sports enthusiast.

Since 2002, the Albers School of Business and Economics has organized the Albers Executive Speaker Series, live panels featuring top business leaders from the Puget Sound Area. Guests talk about a topic of their choice and respond to questions from a panel and the audience. The Speaker Series is yet another way Albers is committed to build student connections with the Seattle business community.

The Albers Executive Speaker Series is free and open to the public. Register to save your seat, ask questions for Sean Tresvant, and to be emailed any updates on the event, including a link to the video once it is released.

This panel discussion will not be streamed. Audio will be recorded for a future episode of The Leadership Playbook, Albers' podcast series.

Located in the heart of Seattle, the Albers School of Business and Economics at Seattle University is one of the premier business schools in the Northwest United States. Small class sizes and low student-to-faculty ratios ensure that a student is never just a number. Students benefit from the school’s deep business connections through mentorships, internships, and employment opportunities. Finally, Albers is distinct for its nearly 80-year legacy in championing the responsibility of business to create a better society.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Pigott Auditorium, Seattle University, 901 12th Avenue, Seattle, United States