---
title: "Wendy's names new chief marketing & customer growth officer"
url: https://burnaze.com/article/89503814-5137-401c-b709-ad967b6e7197
source: "Franchise Magazine USA"
original_url: https://franchisemagazineusa.com/wendys-appoints-tariq-hassan/
author: "David Gibb"
category: "Burger"
industry: "Restaurants"
segment: "Burger"
topics: ["Marketing","People"]
published: 2026-08-25T13:12:09.000Z
modified: 2026-10-31T21:43:12.308Z
image: https://franchisemagazineusa.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/StLouis-Wendys-Conversion.jpg.webp
---

# Wendy's names new chief marketing & customer growth officer

**TL;DR:** Wendy's has appointed Tariq Hassan as Chief Marketing and Customer Growth Officer, replacing Lindsay Radkowski. Hassan will report to Wendy's President and CEO Bob Wright and focus on reigniting customer loyalty and driving growth for the brand.

*By David Gibb, originally published in Franchise Magazine USA on 2026-08-25. [Read the original](https://franchisemagazineusa.com/wendys-appoints-tariq-hassan/).*

## Story

The Wendy’s Company, a fast-food franchisor with more than 7,000 restaurants worldwide, announced Monday that Tariq Hassan has been appointed Chief Marketing and Customer Growth Officer. Current Chief Marketing Officer Lindsay Radkowski will remain with the brand for a few weeks to support the transition before departing.

Hassan brings a strong resume and proven knack for transforming restaurant, technology, and consumer brands to Wendy’s. For more than three and a half years, he held the title of US Chief Marketing & Customer Experience Officer at McDonald’s, overseeing the digital transformation of the industry leader’s customer experience. Hassan’s efforts at McDonalds helped foster customer loyalty by putting diners at the center of menu innovation and providing a responsive, data-driven experience that resonates with today’s consumer.

In this new role, Hassan will report directly to Wendy’s President and CEO Bob Wright.

“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.

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’s arrival comes at a time when Wendy’s is looking to turn around their fortunes, particularly in the U.S. Earlier this month, the company reported a weak second quarter, which revealed a $465 million year-over-year drop in domestic sales system-wide compared to the same term last year.

While redefining a brand’s relationship with its customers in a way that sparks renewed loyalty is a major challenge, Hassan believes the strength and tradition of the Wendy’s brand provide a strong platform for what comes next.

“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.”

## Entities

- QSR (sector)
- McDonald's (company)
- Franchise Magazine USA (publication)
- executive appointment (topic)
- Wendy's (company)
- marketing strategy (topic)
- qsr industry (topic)
- David Gibb (person)
- Bob Wright (person)
- customer growth (topic)
- Tariq Hassan (person)
- Lindsay Radkowski (person)

---
Originally reported by David Gibb, Franchise Magazine USA (https://franchisemagazineusa.com/wendys-appoints-tariq-hassan/). Summarized by Burnaze (https://burnaze.com/article/89503814-5137-401c-b709-ad967b6e7197).