City Grill Group announces new leadership structure and CEO

City Grill Group, a major Romanian-owned restaurant operator, has announced a new leadership structure effective August 2026. Carmen Polcovnicu, who has been with the company since 2005, will ascend to the role of CEO. She succeeds Daniel Mischie, who will transition to Executive President to focus on development strategy, acquisitions, and industry partnerships.

Ionuț Ceban, a member of the group since 2007, will take over as Chief Operating Officer. The leadership shift aims to foster a new generation of leaders to meet the needs of younger consumer demographics while integrating technological innovations like AI.

The group has seen significant growth under Mischie’s tenure, expanding from 17 locations in 2017 to 44 locations currently, with operations extending into hospitality, events, and retail food production. City Grill Group reported a consolidated turnover of 90 million euros at the end of 2025 and aims to reach the 100 million euro threshold in 2026.

Parallel to this management change, the company is launching an investment program. This includes a 7 million euro investment over two years for a new ready-meals production unit, alongside a 6.5 million euro budget for the expansion and modernization of its restaurant portfolio.