Wendy's adds marketing veteran to C-suite
A quick-serve hamburger giant is adding to its C-suite with a newly-created position.
The Wendy’s Company has named Tariq Hassan to the new role of chief marketing and customer growth officer, effective immediately. He will report to recently-named president and CEO Bob Wright, and serve on Wendy's senior leadership team.
Lindsay Radkoski, who has served as chief marketing officer since 2024, will depart the organization after a transition period with Hassan over the coming weeks.
Hassan previously served as senior VP, U.S. chief marketing and customer experience officer at McDonald's from 2021 to 2025. Prior to McDonald's, he was the chief marketing officer at Petco for more than three years.
Hassan’s other experience includes stints at Bank of America, HP and more.
"Tariq's appointment is another meaningful step in returning Wendy's to profitable growth," said Wright. "He is a proven brand and team builder with a distinctive ability to connect culture, technology and consumer insight to drive measurable growth. He has demonstrated the impact that highly effective marketing, digital activation, menu innovation and culturally relevant brand engagement can have on restaurant performance and customer loyalty.”
Hassan is the latest addition to the Wendy’s C-suite. In June, Steve Cirulis was named as chief financial officer and chief strategy officer, joining the hamburger chain from Potbelly Sandwich Works.
Last year, Wendy’s announced a strategic turnaround plan, dubbed “Project Fresh,” designed to “revitalize the brand, reignite growth and accelerate profitability” across the Wendy's system and enhance shareholder value.
"Wendy's is an iconic American brand that has something special most brands spend decades trying to build, a real point of view that our customers genuinely feel," said Hassan. "My focus will be on reigniting that passionate connection with our brand to show up more powerfully in every experience, everywhere our fans meet us. Working alongside Bob, the leadership team, our franchisees and restaurant teams, I see enormous opportunity to reshape how we tell this story, starting with the food itself, to drive growth for our customers, our franchisees and our shareholders."
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Founded in 1969, The Wendy’s Company operates more than 7,000 restaurants worldwide.
