Staffing

Papa Johns taps former Wendy's head as president, CEO

Photo: Papa Johns

August 1, 2024

Papa John's International Inc. has named Todd Penegor as president and CEO. Penegor, most recently president and CEO of The Wendy's Company, has more than 20 years of experience in the restaurant and consumer goods industries, according to a press release.

Penegor succeeds Ravi Thanawala, who has served as interim CEO since March 2024 and will continue his role as CFO.

"Todd's appointment as president and chief executive officer successfully concludes an extensive search to identify a proven leader who has the experience, skills and vision to achieve the full potential of the Papa Johns brand and accelerate growth," Christopher Coleman, chair of the Papa Johns Board of Directors, said in the press release. "Todd has an outstanding record of leading winning teams and scaling franchised operations globally through trusted partnerships, product innovation and digital transformation. He has also demonstrated his ability to effectively allocate capital, drive value and enhance profitability. We are excited to welcome Todd to Papa Johns and look forward to his contributions as we work to create significant, sustainable value for our shareholders and franchisees."

Penegor said he is honored to serve as CEO of Papa Johns and plans to usher in the next chapter for the company.

"By consistently delivering on the Better Ingredients. Better Pizza. brand promise, Papa Johns already has the best pizza in the industry," he said in the press release. "I am committed to providing exceptional customer experiences across all of our offerings and touchpoints to ensure we unlock the full potential of Papa Johns' differentiated market position. Papa Johns has an exceptional foundation in place, and I'm confident in our ability to win in the QSR space."

Prior to Wendy's, Penegor held key leadership roles at Kellogg Company and Ford Motor Company.

Papa Johns has more than 5,900 restaurants in approximately 50 countries and territories.