Louisville, Ky. — Papa John’s International, Inc. and its board of directors have appointed Todd Penegor as president and chief executive officer, effective immediately. He has also joined the board. Penegor, who joins Papa Johns from Wendy’s, succeeds Ravi Thanawala, who has served as interim CEO since March 2024 and will continue in his role as chief financial officer.
Penegor was most recently president and chief executive officer of The Wendy’s Company. He is a proven leader with 20 years of experience in the restaurant and consumer goods industries. During his tenure with Wendy’s, the company achieved substantial growth in sales, earnings and new restaurant counts, including the expansion of Wendy’s footprint to more than 7,000 restaurants worldwide and the 12th consecutive year of same-restaurant sales growth, among other achievements. Prior to Wendy’s, Penegor held key leadership roles at Kellogg Company and Ford Motor Company.
“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,” says Christopher Coleman, chair of the Papa Johns board of directors. “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 served as president and CEO of The Wendy’s Company from 2016 to 2024, and as Wendy’s chief financial officer from 2013 to 2016.
Papa John’s International, Inc. first opened its doors in 1984. Papa Johns is co-headquartered in Atlanta and Louisville, Ky., and has more than 5,900 restaurants in approximately 50 countries and territories. For more information, visit www.PapaJohns.com.
SOURCE: Papa John’s International, Inc.