Dan Gertsacov, CEO, Big Green Egg, instagram @gertsacov

Dan Gertsacov is the CEO of Big Green Egg, the world's most iconic outdoor kitchen brand. Dan’s non-traditional leadership path has seen him through roles at Google, McDonald's, McKinsey and multiple venture-backed startups and nonprofits, in the United States and internationally.

Prior to his current role, Dan served as a Senior Advisor at McKinsey and Company, focused on the future of food and restaurants. Before that, he headed revenue growth as Chief Commercial Officer and Global Chief Marketing Officer at Focus Brands (now GoTo Brands), franchisor of seven iconic restaurant brands with over 6,400 outlets worldwide. Previously, Dan was Chief Marketing and Digital Officer at Arcos Dorados, the world's largest independent McDonald's franchisee.

Before following his interest in food into the restaurant industry, Dan was an early executive at Google, helping the tech giant expand in Latin America and launch new businesses in traditional advertising. He has also held executive roles at LenddoEFL, Univision Networks, and Forum EMPRESA.

Dan holds an MBA from Harvard Business School, where he was a Goldsmith Scholar. Dan completed his undergraduate studies with Honors from the University of Richmond. He was selected for a coveted Fulbright Scholarship in Chile upon graduation.

A passionate food enthusiast, Dan is on a life quest to better understand how different cultures around the world put fire to food, documenting his food travels on his YouTube Channel, @roadto50cuisines. He is a Fellow at the Culinary Institute of America, a Sr Advisor to the James Beard Foundation, and serves on various boards, both public and private. A former semi-professional rugby player, he is now an avid Crossfitter and amateur kickboxer. Dan resides in Atlanta with his family and two dogs.