John Eckbert is the Chief Executive Officer of Five Guys Europe, where he has led the business since its launch in the UK in 2013. Under his leadership, Five Guys has grown from its first restaurant in London’s Covent Garden into a major European restaurant business, with more than 300 locations across multiple markets. Originally from the United States, John first came to London as a student at the London School of Economics. After completing and then running the corporate credit training department at what is now Bank of America, John joined the Section 20 investment bank in the high yield bond department. His 20-year tenure in finance culminated with the launch and growth of a boutique Mergers & Acquisitions investment bank. In 2012, John and Sir Charles Dunstone partnered with the Murrell family, the founders of Five Guys in the US, to establish the European joint venture. Since then, he has led the brand’s expansion across Europe, establishing Five Guys in new markets while maintaining its focus on quality, simplicity and customer experience.