Hershey Taps PepsiCo And Wendy's Veteran Kirk Tanner As Next CEO

Zinger Key PointsKirk Tanner will become Hershey's new CEO starting August 18.Michele Buck retires after leading Hershey’s multi-category growth.From tariffs to inflation, macro risks are rising—Matt Maley reveals how he’s trading it all, live this Wednesday July 9 at 6 PM ET.The Hershey CompanyHSYannounced on Tuesday thatKirk Tannerwill take over as President and CEO, beginning August 18, marking a significant leadership transition for the company.Tanner, a seasoned executive in the food and beverage sector, succeedsMichele Buck, who is retiring after a transformative tenure. Buck will remain with the company for a period in an advisory role to support a smooth leadership transition.The leadership change follows a detailed succession plan, positioning Hershey for sustained growth and innovation under new guidance.Also Read:Hershey Bites Into Better-For-You Snacking With LesserEvil Deal: DetailsTanner currently serves as CEO ofThe Wendy’s CompanyWEN, where he prioritized brand growth and international expansion. He will depart thefast-food chain on July 18, 2025. Wendy’s CFOKen Cookhas been appointed as interim CEO while the company searches for a permanent replacement.Tanner also brings more than 30 years of experience fromPepsiCo Inc.PEP, where he most recently led the $28 billion North American beverage division.He also held several senior positions, including President of Global Foodservice and VP of Sales for the UK and Ireland. Hershey’s Board praised Tanner as a strong operator with deep experience in snack foods, beverages, and innovation.Chair of the CEO Search CommitteeMary Kay Habenhighlighted Tanner’s balanced leadership and strategic vision as ideal for driving the company forward. She also thanked Buck for her impactful leadership and for building Hershey’s status as a multi-category snacking powerhouse.In a statement, Tanner expressed enthusiasm for leading Hershey, saying the opportunity was “once-in-a-lifetime.” He emphasized his commitment to consumers, partners, and employees. Buck also voiced confidence in Tanner, calling it a privilege to support the transition after leading the company through years of sustained growth.Price Action:HSY shares are trading lower by 2.98% to $170.32 at last check Tuesday, while WEN shares are trading lower by 0.13% to $11.29.Loading...Loading...Read Next:Wendy’s Mixes Weak Sales With A Side Of Resilience: Fast-Food Restaurant Has ‘Solid Marketing,’ Menu Innovation Plans, Says AnalystPhoto via ShutterstockHSYThe Hershey Co$170.00-3.16%Stock Score Locked: Want to See it?Benzinga Rankings give you vital metrics on any stock – anytime.Reveal Full ScoreEdge RankingsMomentumN/AGrowth95.04Quality12.55Value23.17Price TrendShortMediumLongOverviewPEPPepsiCo Inc$134.45-%WENThe Wendy's Co$11.16-1.24%Market News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs© 2025 Benzinga.com. . .Posted In:EquitiesNewsTopicsMarketsMoversGeneralAI GeneratedBriefsStories That Matterwhy it's moving