Wendy’s said Tuesday its CEO Kirk Tanner was leaving the burger chain after just over a year in the role to take on the top job at chocolate maker Hershey.
For Wendy’s, the change at the top comes at a time when it has been grappling with muted sales as macroeconomic volatility pushes more people to eat at home. Its stock is down nearly 31% this year.
Hershey had announced in January that Michele Buck, who had been CEO for over seven years, would retire in 2026 and would transition to a senior advisor role once a replacement was named. Tanner will take over on Aug. 18.
Kirk Tanner is leaving Wedny’s after just over a year in the role, The Hershey Company
He will depart Wendy’s on July 18, the burger chain said in a separate statement, adding that it has appointed its CFO, Ken Cook, as interim chief.
Wendy’s also said it has launched a comprehensive search process to select a permanent CEO, and