Hershey taps Wendy’s chief Kirk Tanner as its next president and CEO

Wendy’s CEO Kirk Tanner is set to helm The Hershey Company its next president and chief executive officer.

Tanner succeeds Michele Buck, effective August 18. 

Earlier this year, Buck announced her intention to retire from the multinational confectionary company. 

Tanner is currently the president and CEO of The Wendy’s Company. He previously spent over three decades at PepsiCo Inc., ultimately becoming CEO of PepsiCO Beverages North America.

In that role, he oversaw a $28 billion business across a portfolio of brands such as Pepsi, Gatorade, Mountain Dew, Pure Leaf and bubly. 

Tanner also held several other senior leadership positions at PepsiCo, including president of PepsiCo Global Foodservice, SVP of Frito-Lay North America's West Division and VP of sales for PepsiCo U.K. and Ireland. 

"Kirk is a proven, high-impact leader in the food and beverage industry with a great combination of customer and consumer passion, commercial acumen and operational scale," said Mary Kay Haben, lead independent director and chair of the CEO Search Committee, in a press release. "With a track record of driving growth in complex global businesses, Kirk brings a focused, results-driven mindset. His deep experience in snacks, beverages, M&A and innovation—combined with public company CEO and board roles—makes him well suited to lead Hershey into the future. Kirk is a strong leader, earning followership at every level and is committed to engaging with employees, the community and stockholders to advance Hershey's ambition to be a Leading Snacking Powerhouse and to deliver long-term, sustainable growth."