Overview

• Tanner will assume the roles of president and CEO on August 18, taking over from Michele Buck, who is retiring after nearly eight years at the helm.
• Buck will remain in an advisory capacity through December to ensure leadership continuity during the handover.
• Wendy’s CFO Ken Cook will step in as interim CEO on July 18 and the board has launched a search for a permanent successor.
• Tanner joined Wendy’s in 2024 after more than 30 years at PepsiCo, where he led the North American beverages division.
• Mary Kay Haben, chair of Hershey’s CEO search committee, highlighted Tanner’s blend of consumer insights, operational expertise and M&A experience as key assets for steering the company’s next growth phase.