The Wendy’s Company has named former McDonald’s executive Tariq Hassan to the newly created role of chief marketing and customer growth officer, effective immediately.
In his new role, Hassan will report to the QSR brand’s president and chief executive officer Bob Wright and serve on the Wendy’s Senior Leadership Team. Lindsay Radkoski, who has served as chief marketing officer, U.S. since 2024, will leave the company after a transition period with Hassan over the coming weeks.
“Tariq’s appointment is another meaningful step in returning Wendy’s to profitable growth,” said Wright, in a statement. “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. He will be instrumental in sourcing and developing talent and building new capabilities in the organization to help Wendy’s recapture its position as the quality leader in the QSR industry.”
Hassan is being tasked with turning around the brand’s sales decline. Wendy’s reported a 7% drop in U.S. same-restaurant sales for the latest quarter. Hassan joins with more than three decades of global marketing leadership across restaurants, technology and consumer brands. He previously served as senior vice president, U.S. chief marketing and customer experience officer at McDonald’s. Prior to McDonald’s, he held senior marketing roles at companies including Petco, Bank of America and HP.
“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, in a statement. “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.”
