Papa John's International appointed Todd Penegor as its new president and CEO in early August 2024 with immediate effect.

This leadership transition comes as Penegor also joins the company's board of directors.

He takes over from Ravi Thanawala, interim CEO since March 2024, who will maintain his position as chief financial officer.

Penegor previously served as the president and CEO of The Wendy's Company. His leadership at Wendy's was marked by significant growth in sales and earnings, and the expansion of the brand's global presence, with more than 7,000 restaurants now operating worldwide.

Penegor said: “I am honoured to serve as chief executive officer of Papa John's and work with the board, our dedicated team members and franchisees to usher in the company’s next chapter.

“By consistently delivering on the "Better Ingredients. Better Pizza" brand promise, Papa John's already has the best pizza in the industry.

“I am committed to providing exceptional customer experiences across all of our offerings and touchpoints to ensure we unlock the full potential of Papa John’s differentiated market position.”

Before his tenure at Wendy's, Penegor held key roles at the Kellogg Company and the Ford Motor Company.

Papa John's chair Christopher Coleman said: “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 John's brand and accelerate growth.

“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 John's and look forward to his contributions as we work to create significant, sustainable value for our shareholders and franchisees.”