Wendy’s picks Steve Cirulis as finance and strategy chief

The Wendy’s Company has appointed Steve Cirulis as its new chief financial officer (CFO) and chief strategy officer (CSO).

He succeeds Ken Cook, who has overseen the finance function since 2024. Cook will stay on in an advisory role until next month to support the transition.

Cirulis will report to Bob Wright, who was appointed as the company’s president and CEO last month.

In his new role, Cirulis will be part of the company’s senior leadership team.

Cirulis said: “It is an honour to join this iconic brand at such a pivotal time in its history.

“I believe there is a tremendous opportunity at Wendy’s to drive topline growth, franchisee profitability and improved shareholder value, and I am eager to get to work with our talented employees and franchisees to unlock the potential of our entire system.”

Before his move to Wendy’s, Cirulis held the dual titles of CFO and CSO at Potbelly Sandwich Works.

At Potbelly, he worked alongside Wright, who at that time served as the CEO of the brand.

During their tenure, Potbelly saw its share price rise by “more than 500%”, posted double-digit gains in average unit volumes, expanded restaurant margins and reported stronger returns on invested capital.

Earlier in his career, Cirulis held senior finance and strategy posts at several large restaurant and retail operators including Panera Bread, McDonald’s and Gap.

His experience spans nearly three decades across food, beverage, retail and restaurant companies and advisory practices.

Wright said: “Driving solid financial discipline, topline growth and enhanced franchisee profitability are essential to our future success.

“I am confident that Steve will play a critical role as we execute the turnaround of Wendy’s, driving growth and generating value for our franchisees, employees and shareholders.

“With decades of deep experience across large-scale retail and restaurant brands, Steve brings a wealth of expertise across a breadth of disciplines that will benefit our system from day one.”

“Wendy’s picks Steve Cirulis as finance and strategy chief” was originally created and published by Verdict Food Service, a GlobalData owned brand.