Wendy’s International, Inc. (NYSE:WEN) announced today that it is conducting an aggressive national search for a new Chief Marketing Officer to replace Ian Rowden, who is resigning as CMO to return to his native Australia for personal reasons.
Over the past six months, Wendy’s has accelerated its focus on improving brand recognition, particularly among younger consumers, with its “That’s Right” campaign featuring its iconic red wig.
Moving forward, Wendy’s intends to capitalize on the momentum generated from the campaign to accelerate same-store sales and further improve profits at every restaurant in the Wendy’s system.
“Ian was instrumental in re-awakening the Wendy’s brand and driving innovation, and he has agreed to work with me to help transition marketing as we search for our next CMO,” said Chief Executive Officer and President Kerrii Anderson. “We wish Ian and his family well in the future.”
Wendy’s will continue to work with Saatchi and Saatchi and kirshenbaum bond to develop the evolution of its marketing campaign. The campaign will continue to be an important element of the strategy to revitalize the Wendy’s brand and build sales and profit momentum.
“There is a great deal of work ahead of us,” said Anderson. “We’ve delivered six consecutive quarters of positive same-store sales and significant profit improvement at the restaurant and corporate level. That said, our store economics are still not where they need to be. We have more opportunity to drive sales, innovate with our superior quality positioning and further improve restaurant operations. Our strategic plan, which we launched a year ago, put a strong foundation in place. Phase 2 of our strategic plan, launched this fall, is laser-focused on Doing What’s Right for Our Customers. This will be clearly articulated in every aspect of our marketing.”
Paul Kershisnik, senior vice president of marketing strategy and innovation, and Bob Holtcamp, vice president of brand management, will lead Wendy’s marketing on an interim basis and report directly to Anderson.
Kershisnik is responsible for research and development, strategic insights and innovation. His 21-year career includes positions with some of the world’s best-known consumer brands, including Pizza Hut/PepsiCo, General Mills and Sprint. Most recently, he served as Vice President of New Product Innovations and Research & Development for Mrs. Fields Famous Brands in Salt Lake City. Kershisnik holds an M.B.A. from Brigham Young University and a B.S. from the University of Utah.
Holtcamp will continue to manage Wendy’s brand group, the new product-driven menu strategy and the consumer-driven restaurant experience. He will also continue to manage the creative and messaging strategy with our advertising agencies, and he will oversee field marketing. Before joining Wendy’s, Holtcamp worked for Aurora Foods’ Van de Kamp seafood brand, Mrs. Paul’s Seafood, Miller Brewing Company and held account executive roles at various advertising agencies. Holtcamp holds an M.B.A. from Washington University and a B.A. from University of Illinois.
