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Arby's names new chief development officer

January 23, 2012

Arby's Restaurant Group Inc. has named Nils Okeson as general counsel and chief development officer. Okeson will also serve as a member of the brand's leadership team.

Okeson originally joined Arby's in 2005 as general counsel and was named to the same position at Arby's parent corporation, Triarc Companies, in 2007.

In these roles, he helped lead the company through a number of significant M&A and financing transactions as Triarc evolved into a pure play restaurant company with Arby's and then combined with Wendy's International Inc. to form Wendy's/Arby's Group in 2008.

At Wendy's/Arby's Group, Okeson assumed additional responsibilities as general counsel of Wendy's. Wendy's and Arby's separated in 2011 when Arby's was acquired by Roark Capital Group.

"We are thrilled that Nils has returned to the Arby's brand," said Hala Moddelmog, president of Arby's. "His ability to provide leadership through transformative corporate transactions combined with his experience at the operating company level with Arby's dating back to 2005 makes him a great addition to our team as we chart a course for growth."

Before joining Arby's in 2005, Okeson was a partner at Alston & Bird LLP in Atlanta, where he specialized in corporate governance, mergers and acquisitions and securities law. While at Alston & Bird, Okeson was listed in Chambers USA America's Leading Lawyers for Business, The Best Lawyers in America and Georgia Super Lawyers. He also served as a member of the advisory board of the Weinberg Center for Corporate Governance at the University of Delaware.

Okeson joined Alston & Bird in 1990 after graduating from the University of Virginia School of Law. He also holds a Bachelor of Arts degree, with Distinction, from the University of Virginia.

"There are many exciting things going on at Arby's right now under Roark Capital Group's ownership. Hala has put together a terrific new management team and I am honored to become part of it," Okeson said. "The system is gaining traction with new initiatives, and we are poised for sustainable growth in sales and profits for the benefit of our franchisees and our new owners."

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