ST. LOUIS — Panera Bread, a subsidiary of Panera Brands, has hired Brian Krause as chief development officer. In his new role Krause will be responsible for leading development planning, franchise development and sales, design and construction, and real estate.

Krause most recently was chief development officer at GoTo Foods for the past four-and-a-half years. Earlier, he was chief development officer at Jimmy John’s. He spent the early part of his career at Wyndham Hotels and Resorts.

“Brian brings deep industry expertise in franchise sales and development, and I’m incredibly excited to welcome him to Panera at such a key time of growth,” said Paul Carbone, interim chief executive officer, Panera Brands. “With a simplified operating model and a variety of proven cafe formats, Panera is well-positioned to drive both company and franchise growth this year and beyond. As a proven leader and collaborator, Brian is exactly the right person to help accelerate our plan for new unit growth.”