The Wendy's Company (NASDAQ: WEN) announced the appointment of Steve Cirulis as Chief Financial Officer and Chief Strategy Officer, effective June 23, 2026. Cirulis will report to President and CEO Bob Wright and serve on the company's Senior Leadership Team.

Cirulis succeeds Ken Cook, who has held the CFO role since 2024 and will remain in an advisory capacity through July to assist with the transition.

Cirulis most recently served as CFO and Chief Strategy Officer at Potbelly Sandwich Works, where he worked alongside Wright. Prior to that, he held senior strategy and finance roles at Panera Bread, McDonald's, and Gap, Inc. He has approximately 30 years of experience across the food, beverage, retail, and restaurant sectors.

"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," Wright said in a statement.

Board Chairman Art Winkleblack credited Cook with establishing the company's Project Fresh strategy during his tenure, which also included a period as Interim CEO.