Exec Edge hosted a fireside chat at the ICR Conference 2026 with Alex Macedo, co-founder, Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer at Authentic Restaurant Brands. The in-person interview was joined by Editor-at-Large Jarrett Banks, and they discussed how the company invests while also taking a more hands-on approach with operators to improve a restaurant’s trajectory, the company’s 2026 vision for growth and its pavement to become a national brand, among other topics.
About Alex Macedo
Alex Macedo is the co-founder, Chairman, and CEO of Authentic Restaurant Brands, joining the company in 2025. Prior to ARB, he served as the Lead Operating Partner at Garnett Station Partners, where he led the firm’s management and operational efforts. Alex brings extensive experience from his time at Restaurant Brands International, where he held multiple leadership roles at key brands including Tim Hortons and Burger King. Previously, he was the Founder and Managing Partner of True Marketing, Head of the Brahma Beer Business Unit at AmBev, and a board member of Brinker International. Alex earned his Bachelor’s degree from the NYU Stern School of Business and his MBA from INSEAD.
About Authentic Restaurant Brands
Established in 2021, Authentic Restaurant Brands (ARB) is a platform of powerhouse, regional restaurant brands with extraordinary customer brand loyalty and rich, authentic stories. Backed by Garnett Station Partners, ARB provides operational support, strategic capital and technological resources to drive growth in a brand’s core and adjacent markets. Its mission is to elevate local American “hometown hero” brands with deep community roots, loyal customers and a proven business model to help them scale dramatically without losing their local spirit. Its platform currently consists of five market-leading, iconic brands, each with over 25-year operating histories, including: Primanti Bros Restaurant & Bar based in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio and Maryland, P.J. Whelihan’s Pub & Restaurant based in the Greater Delaware Valley, including Philadelphia and South Jersey, Mambo Seafood based in Houston and San Antonio, Texas, Pollo Tropical based in Florida, and Tavern in the Square based in Boston.
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Exec Edge NYSE Firesides Scheduled Feb 3, 2026
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