Wendy’s names Steve Cirulis CFO and strategy chief

• The Wendy’s Company (NASDAQ:WEN) appointed Steve Cirulis as CFO and chief strategy officer as part of its turnaround strategy.
• Cirulis previously held senior finance roles at Potbelly, Panera Bread, McDonald’s, and Gap, bringing nearly 30 years of experience.
• The leadership change comes as Wendy’s faces declining same-store sales and ongoing activist investor pressure.

Wendy’s (NASDAQ:WEN) appointed Steve Cirulis as its new chief financial officer and chief strategy officer as part of a broader leadership reset tied to its turnaround plan.

The appointment follows a period of executive changes at Wendy’s, including interim leadership transitions and a nearly year-long search for a permanent CEO.

"Driving solid financial discipline, topline growth and enhanced franchisee profitability are essential to our future success," said Wendy’s President and CEO Bob Wright.

Cirulis previously served as CFO and chief strategy officer at Potbelly Sandwich Works, where the company said his tenure coincided with a more than 500% rise in share price and improved restaurant performance metrics.

Wendy’s Company continues its operational restructuring while addressing declining same-store sales, which included a reported 7.8% drop in the first quarter of 2026.

The company has also faced pressure from activist investor Nelson Peltz’s Trian Fund Management while its stock has fallen about 13% since January.