Inspire Brands CEO Paul Brown Taking Medical Leave, Scott Murphy Named Interim
Paul Brown is taking a medical leave as CEO of Inspire Brands following an injury. The company confirmed that Dunkin' President Scott Murphy will serve as interim CEO during this period. This leadership change occurs at a pivotal time for the Atlanta-based restaurant operator, which has been planning an initial public offering (IPO) and had filed confidentially earlier in 2026. Inspire Brands, owned by private equity firm Roark Capital, operates several major chains including Arby's, Dunkin', Buffalo Wild Wings, Sonic, Jimmy John's, and Baskin-Robbins. Brown co-founded the company after leading a turnaround at Arby’s in 2013 that led to its acquisition of Buffalo Wild Wings. The $11.3 billion purchase of Dunkin' in 2020 was one of the largest deals in restaurant history and brought Murphy into Inspire's leadership structure, where he has since held multiple executive roles.
