Nathaniel Ru will retire from his role as chief brand officer for Sweetgreen, effective January 1, 2026. Zipporah Allen has assumed Ru’s responsibilities.

Allen joined Sweetgreen as its chief commercial officer in September. Prior to that, he served as chief business officer and chief marketing officer at Strava. Allen’s background also includes marketing positions with such companies as Taco Bell, Pizza Hut and McDonald’s.

Ru co-founded Sweetgreen with Jonathan Neman, who remains the company’s CEO. Ru spent 20 years with the company and will continue to serve on Sweetgreen’s board of directors, per a release announcing the transition.