Wendy's Hires Ex-McDonald's CMO Tariq Hassan to Lead Its Turnaround
Updated: Sep 1
TL;DR: Wendy's has named former McDonald's US marketing chief Tariq Hassan to a newly created chief marketing and customer growth officer role, betting that demand-driving marketing can end six straight quarters of same-store sales declines.
A marquee QSR hire
Wendy's has named Tariq Hassan, formerly McDonald's US marketing chief, to the newly created role of chief marketing and customer growth officer. Announced on 24 August 2026, Hassan starts immediately and reports to president and CEO Bob Wright. He succeeds Lindsay Radkoski, US CMO since 2023, who leaves after a transition.
The title itself is a signal. Folding "customer growth" into the marketing remit tells you Wendy's sees marketing not as communications but as the engine of commercial recovery.
Why Wendy's needs it
The context is tough. Wendy's has posted six consecutive quarters of same-store sales declines, including a roughly 7% drop in Q2 2026. In a QSR market squeezed by value-conscious consumers and aggressive rivals, brand heat has cooled.
Hassan arrives with a track record built for this problem. At McDonald's he's credited with the adult Happy Meal and the Grimace birthday campaign — culturally-charged ideas that drove traffic, not just awareness. That's the playbook Wendy's is buying.
Marketing Minute's read: marketing as growth, not decoration
Our take: the most interesting thing is the reframing of the CMO role. By explicitly tying marketing to customer growth, Wendy's rejects the idea that marketing is a cost centre for brand fluff and positions it as the lever for same-store sales.
It's also a reminder that in mature, low-differentiation categories, cultural relevance is a commercial weapon. McDonald's turnaround years leaned heavily on marketing-led cultural moments; Wendy's is hiring the person who helped build them.
What businesses should take from it
Structure marketing around outcomes, not outputs. A remit that owns "customer growth" forces marketing to be accountable for sales, which changes both the work and the seniority it commands.
Talent moves are strategy signals. When a struggling brand poaches a rival's most culturally fluent marketer, watch the direction — Wendy's is betting on relevance and traffic-driving ideas over discounting alone.
Quick FAQ
Who is Wendy's new CMO?
Tariq Hassan, formerly McDonald's US marketing chief, joins Wendy's as chief marketing and customer growth officer, announced 24 August 2026, reporting to CEO Bob Wright.
Why did Wendy's create the role?
Wendy's has had six straight quarters of same-store sales declines, including a ~7% drop in Q2 2026. The new marketing-and-growth role makes marketing accountable for driving traffic and sales.
What is Hassan known for?
At McDonald's he's credited with culturally-charged, traffic-driving ideas including the adult Happy Meal and the Grimace birthday campaign.
The title tells the whole story. 'Chief marketing and customer growth officer' is a company saying marketing is the growth engine, not the decoration. In a commodity category like fast food, cultural relevance is a commercial weapon — and Wendy's just hired someone who's proven he can wield it. — Daniel Nikolla, Founder of Merx Marketing
When marketing owns 'growth' in its title, it stops being a cost centre and starts being accountable for sales.
Is your marketing measured on outputs, or on the growth it actually drives?
If you would like to know more about this topic, please contact us on danieln@merxmarketing.co.uk
Sources: Marketing Dive, PR Newswire, MediaPost.
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Written by Daniel Nikolla, Founder of Merx Marketing Ltd and Marketing Minute
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