What happened Shares of burrito giant Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (NYSE: CMG) jumped 11.9% in November, according to data provided by S&P Global Market Intelligence, after CEO Steve Ells announced he is stepping down as the leader of the company. So what Ells founded Chipotle in 1993 and built the company into what it is today, but hasn't been able to turn around its reputation after food safety issues first popped up in 2015. The move came about a year after co-CEO Monty Moran, who shared the job with Ells for a while, stepped down. Image source: Getty Images. Ells will stay on as executive chairman once a new CEO is found, leading the board of directors. It's not clear who will take over or how they will execute a turnaround, but management certainly thinks it's time for new people to create a vision for the future. Now what It's never a good sign when your stock pops after the CEO steps down, but that's exactly what happened with Chipotle. Ells built the company into what it is today, but the scale of Chipotle's current operations may require a greater focus on efficient operations that Chipotle may be lacking. The CEO stepping down doesn't ensure future growth or an end to food safety issues, but new thinking in leadership may be welcome for Chipotle and that's what the market was betting on last month. 10 stocks we like better than Chipotle Mexican GrillWhen investing geniuses David and Tom Gardner have a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the newsletter they have run for over a decade, Motley Fool Stock Advisor, has tripled the market.* David and Tom just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy right now... and Chipotle Mexican Grill wasn't one of them! That's right -- they think these 10 stocks are even better buys. Click here to learn about these picks! *Stock Advisor returns as of December 4, 2017 Travis Hoium has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Chipotle Mexican Grill. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.