Rachel Ruggeri has joined the board of directors of Jack in the Box as an independent director, the company announced on September 21. Jack in the Box said the appointment continues its board refresh; CFO Dive reports that Ruggeri brings more than two decades at Starbucks, including four years as executive vice president and chief financial officer.
The seat adds a finance operator with direct consumer and restaurant experience. Ruggeri previously led global finance, strategy and corporate development at Starbucks and earlier served as CFO of The Krusteaz Company. At Jack in the Box, she joins a board working through a refresh effort while the company addresses declining sales, debt and its capital structure.
A board seat with operating texture
The appointment comes alongside a broader leadership calendar. Michael Murphy will retire from the board and will not stand for reelection at the 2027 annual meeting, while President Taylor Montgomery is expected to join the board when he becomes CEO within the next 12 months. Ruggeri’s arrival therefore adds expertise ahead of several connected changes, even though the company did not describe her as Murphy’s replacement.
Jack in the Box said Ruggeri brings restaurant, consumer and public-company finance experience. Interim CEO Mark King called that combination exceptional. The appointment is a reminder that board refreshment is most useful when the new director’s operating experience matches the business questions already on the table — a governance thread also visible in Nike’s addition of Alexandre Arnault.
