James Butler
Senior Vice President, Chief Supply Chain and Corporate Strategy Officer at EAT
Executive
About James Butler
James M. Butler is Senior Vice President, Chief Supply Chain and Corporate Strategy Officer at Brinker International (EAT), appointed to this expanded role in August 2024 after serving as SVP and Chief Supply Chain Officer since January 2023; he is age 46 and has been a Brinker team member since 2023 . Prior roles include leading the KFC supply chain co‑op (Restaurant Supply Chain Solutions, LLC), VP of Integrated Business Planning at Georgia‑Pacific, and Senior Manager at Deloitte Consulting, building multidisciplinary supply chain and planning expertise . Company incentive designs during his tenure tie long‑term pay to three‑year Adjusted EBITDA growth with a relative TSR modifier, and annual bonuses to profit and revenue metrics, with payouts capped at 200% and clawbacks aligned to SEC/NYSE rules .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brinker International (EAT) | SVP, Chief Supply Chain Officer | Jan 2023 – Aug 2024 | Led enterprise supply chain; responsibilities included procurement and distribution network optimization across brands . |
| Brinker International (EAT) | SVP, Chief Supply Chain and Corporate Strategy Officer | Aug 2024 – present | Added corporate strategy oversight, integrating supply chain with broader strategic initiatives . |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Restaurant Supply Chain Solutions (Yum! Brands Co‑Op) | SVP, KFC Supply Chain | Jan 2021 – Dec 2022 | Led supply chain and distribution for 4,000+ U.S. KFC stores and poultry procurement for U.S. Yum! restaurants . |
| Georgia‑Pacific | VP, Integrated Business Planning | Dec 2016 – Dec 2020 | Coordinated sales, marketing, finance, operations, and supply chain to optimize decision‑making and performance . |
| Deloitte Consulting | Senior Manager | Sep 2008 – Dec 2016 | Management consulting across operations and supply chain transformation . |
Fixed Compensation
- Butler is not listed among Named Executive Officers (NEOs) in Brinker’s Fiscal 2025 Summary Compensation Table; specific figures for his base salary, target bonus, and equity grant values are not disclosed .
- Company‑wide compensation philosophy emphasizes “pay for performance,” majority variable compensation, max payouts capped at 200% of target, and balancing near‑term and long‑term value creation .
Performance Compensation
| Incentive Type | Metric | Weighting/Design | Target Definition | Actual/Payout | Vesting |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual Bonus Plan | Profit and Revenue KPIs | Company maintained profit and revenue metrics for FY25; threshold payout is 30% of target, max 200% . | Bonus Plan targets set annually; payouts based on Company performance; in change‑of‑control (CIC) during year, participants receive greater of calculated payout or target award . | Not disclosed for Butler (not an NEO) . | Annual cash payout per Bonus Plan timelines . |
| Performance Shares (PSUs) | 3‑year Adjusted EBITDA growth with relative TSR modifier | Long‑term equity awards for NEOs weighted 60% PSUs, 40% RSUs in FY25; TSR modifier adjusts ±25% based on quartile performance vs peers . | PSU target achievement based on EBITDA growth; TSR percentile ranks modify payouts up/down 25% . | FY23–FY25 PSU cycle paid 200% of target on Aug 19, 2025; FY25–FY27 and FY24–FY26 tracking above maximum (plan‑level disclosure) . | PSUs vest after performance period, contingent on Committee certification; CIC measurement rules apply as described below . |
| RSUs | Time‑based service | Standard annual RSUs vest in three equal annual installments; some prior RSUs cliff‑vest after three years . | Grant values approved first fiscal quarter post 10‑K; no options granted to executive officers . | Not disclosed for Butler (not an NEO) . | 3‑year ratable vesting; certain legacy programs vest at retirement (Career Equity) . |
Notes: Butler’s specific award quantities and payouts are not disclosed; tables reflect company plan design and recent plan‑level outcomes .
Equity Ownership & Alignment
- Stock ownership guidelines require SVPs to hold shares equal to 2× base salary; executives have five years (six if external hires) to meet guidelines; all officers are compliant or within their allowed period .
- Hedging and pledging of Company stock are prohibited; short sales and margin accounts are not permitted for directors, executive officers, or employees .
- Options are not currently granted to executive officers under Company practice; equity mix relies on RSUs and PSUs .
- Butler’s personal beneficial ownership, vested/unvested breakdown, and option holdings are not individually disclosed; the proxy provides ownership for directors and NEOs and the group total (18 persons) .
Employment Terms
| Topic | Terms |
|---|---|
| Employment Agreement | Company maintains no fixed‑term employment agreements; compensation policies designed to mitigate excessive risk . |
| Severance Plan | Executive Severance Benefits Plan provides, if eligible: SVPs receive 12 months’ base salary and a bonus equal to what would have been earned based on actual Company performance for the fiscal year of termination, when terminated without cause prior to or >2 years after CIC; EVPs receive 18 months’ base salary (examples provided for other executives) . |
| Change‑in‑Control (Bonus) | If CIC occurs during fiscal year, participants receive the greater of plan‑calculated payout or target award (subject to employment at time of CIC) . |
| Change‑in‑Control (RSUs) | RSUs do not fully vest at CIC unless awards are not assumed or cease to remain outstanding; if terminated without “cause” or for “good reason” within 24 months post‑CIC, RSUs fully vest upon termination . |
| Change‑in‑Control (PSUs) | PSUs do not vest at CIC unless not assumed or cease to remain outstanding; if assumed, measurement period ends at CIC, performance calculated on shortened measurement; must remain employed through performance period unless terminated without “cause” or for “good reason” following CIC, in which case fully vest in number of achieved shares based on performance through CIC date . |
| Clawbacks | Clawback policy consistent with Exchange Act Rule 10D‑1 and NYSE requirements; Board/Committee may cancel/recoup equity or cash up to three years for fraud, negligence, intentional misconduct or egregious policy breaches; SOX 304 reimbursement for CEO/CFO applies upon misconduct‑related restatements . |
Investment Implications
- Alignment and retention: SVP 2× salary ownership guidelines, prohibition on hedging/pledging, and clawbacks promote alignment and reduce adverse incentive risk; RSU double‑trigger vesting and PSU CIC treatment mitigate forced selling pressure around change‑of‑control events .
- Pay‑for‑performance: Long‑term incentives emphasize EBITDA growth with a TSR modifier and cap payouts at 200%—a structure supportive of operational execution focus (supply chain efficiencies, margin accretion) and market‑relative performance discipline .
- Scope and influence: Butler’s expanded mandate adding Corporate Strategy in Aug 2024 increases his influence on margin and growth levers, making his execution in procurement and distribution a key driver of EBITDA trajectories embedded in incentive plans .
- Monitoring: Butler is not an NEO—specific pay levels, grants, and ownership are undisclosed; monitor future proxies and Form 4 filings for grant cadence, vesting, and any sales to gauge near‑term selling pressure and compliance progress versus ownership guidelines .