Santoyo joins Leon after more than 20 years at Pret A Manger, where he most recently served as UK operations director, overseeing a £700m business spanning 360 sites and 6,000 employees.
The appointment comes as Leon looks to strengthen operational consistency and restaurant performance following the return of its CEO and founder John Vincent at the end of last year.
The company said its next chapter will focus on ‘embedding everyday excellence, where bold vision is matched by consistent, joyful execution across every restaurant, every day.’
Describing the role as ‘a huge and important opportunity’, Santoyo said he was excited to help shape the next phase of the brand’s growth.
“Leon has an important purpose, and it’s one that I completely share,” says Santoyo. “John and I are committed to making it easier to eat and live well.
“I love food, and I am very curious about what makes people feel and be well. John and I share a lot of values, and at the same time, we bring different skills.
“I am very happy to be joining John and the brilliant team he is building.”
Vincent described Santoyo’s appointment as ‘a pivotal moment’ for the business: “We have long had a spirit of innovation and disruption. We now need to be superb at operations.
“I would like to make Leon as big as it can be without losing its customer intimacy.
“This is the challenge Julio and I have set ourselves – for every guest to experience LEON at its best and to grow as big as we can whilst maintaining soul.”
The business internally refers to its philosophy as ‘system and soul’ - a balance inspired by Eastern thinking and Wing Tsun, a martial art practised by Vincent, that combines discipline and flow.
“Confucianism provides clarity and consistency. Taoism offers adaptability and creativity,” says Vincent. “Together, they create the conditions for a high-performing, human-centred business.”
Santoyo’s arrival forms part of what Leon describes as its ongoing commitment to building ‘the A-Team’ following the recent return of CFO Chris Burford and restaurant operations director Nick Scovell.
Earlier this week it also announced it will emerge from administration after receiving unanimous support from creditors who voted as part of the Company Voluntary Arrangement (CVA).