THE APEX TIMES
Wendy’s taps ex-McDonald’s marketer Tariq Hassan to lead marketing and customer growth
Tariq Hassan, previously McDonald’s U.S. CMO, is set to take on a broader chief marketing and customer growth role at Wendy’s, according to a report. The hire outlines continued emphasis on driving customer traffic as the chain executes a turnaround plan.
Wendy’s is bringing in Tariq Hassan, a former McDonald’s chief marketing officer in the United States, to serve as its chief marketing and customer growth officer, a move aimed at strengthening how the fast-food chain attracts and retains customers, according to a report published by Yahoo Finance via Marketing Dive.
Hassan is expected to succeed Lindsay Radkoski as Wendy’s U.S. chief marketing officer, the report said. Radkoski had been serving as U.S. CMO since 2023, the report added, setting up the transition in leadership for the chain’s marketing function.
As Wendy’s chief marketing and customer growth officer, the role combines two areas that are often separated in large consumer brands. Marketing covers brand and promotional strategy, while customer growth typically focuses on improving traffic and loyalty outcomes, including how offerings and campaigns translate into visits and repeat purchasing.
The appointment comes as Wendy’s continues to execute a turnaround plan, the report said. While the report does not lay out new operational details, it frames the leadership change as part of ongoing execution, with a renewed focus on winning over customers through messaging and growth initiatives.
McDonald’s, where Hassan previously worked as U.S. CMO, has long treated marketing as a central lever for customer demand in a highly competitive quick-service restaurant market. In that context, Wendy’s decision to import marketing leadership with that background suggests it wants a marketer who can scale campaigns quickly and link brand activity to customer behavior.
For the broader restaurant sector, the hire reflects how branding and demand generation have remained tightly coupled. As consumers weigh price, promotions, and value, marketing leaders increasingly work alongside operations and product teams to align promotions with what customers actually experience in stores.
The company has not provided additional disclosed details in the report beyond the leadership change and the stated intent to support a turnaround plan. It was not clear from the published report what new campaign themes, budget allocations, or performance targets Wendy’s expects Hassan to deliver, nor did it specify a start date or an interim handling of Radkoski’s responsibilities.
What to watch next is whether Wendy’s announces any immediate changes in promotional calendar, menu priorities, or loyalty and customer engagement initiatives under the new leadership structure, and whether the company updates investors or media on progress against its turnaround plan after the transition.
Why It Matters
- Restaurant brands are leaning harder on marketing leadership to translate promotions and brand messaging into measurable customer traffic.
- A combined marketing and customer growth role indicates Wendy’s may be trying to tighten the link between campaigns and in-store demand.
- Hiring a marketer from McDonald’s suggests Wendy’s wants experience from a large-scale QSR competitor where marketing is tightly integrated with customer behavior.
- For investors and analysts, the next checkpoint will be whether Wendy’s can show progress on its turnaround plan after the leadership transition.
Sources
Key Facts
- Wendy’s plans to hire Tariq Hassan as chief marketing and customer growth officer.
- Hassan previously served as U.S. chief marketing officer at McDonald’s.
- The report says Hassan will succeed Lindsay Radkoski, who has been Wendy’s U.S. CMO since 2023.
- The report frames the move as part of Wendy’s continued execution of a turnaround plan.
- The chief marketing and customer growth officer role merges marketing strategy with efforts intended to drive customer traffic and retention.
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