Dublin-headquartered Wendy's tapped a former McDonald's marketing executive Monday to fill a newly created role aimed at reversing a steep sales slide at the fast-food chain.

Tariq Hassan, who served as senior vice president and U.S. chief marketing and customer experience officer at McDonald's, started immediately as Wendy's Chief Marketing and Customer Growth Officer. He reports directly to CEO Bob Wright and joins the company's senior leadership team, according to a Wendy's press release.

The position did not previously exist at Wendy's.

Wright called the appointment "another meaningful step in returning Wendy's to profitable growth," saying Hassan has "a distinctive ability to connect culture, technology and consumer insight to drive measurable growth."

The hire comes less than three weeks after Wendy's reported a 7% drop in U.S. same-restaurant sales for the second quarter, a result that prompted the company to withdraw its full-year financial outlook and slash its quarterly dividend from $0.10 to $0.07 per share. Net income fell to $32.6 million from $55.1 million a year earlier, and the chain closed a net 81 U.S. locations during the quarter, leaving it with 7,180 restaurants worldwide.

Wright outlined a five-point turnaround plan on Aug. 7 when those results were released. "I returned to Wendy's because I believe we can fix our issues and I am excited to work with our team and our franchisees to drive a strong turnaround," he said at the time.

That plan targets rebuilding the menu at "compelling value," marketing that drives demand, operational excellence, a stronger digital experience and using restaurants as growth engines. Hassan's responsibilities include marketing and customer growth, two of the five pillars Wright outlined.

Hassan brings more than 30 years of experience in marketing, digital transformation and brand-building across restaurants, technology and consumer brands, according to the company. At McDonald's, he helped modernize the chain's marketing and strengthened its digital and loyalty programs.

Lindsay Radkoski, who has served as Wendy's U.S. chief marketing officer since 2024, will leave the company after a transition period over the coming weeks. Wright recognized her 15 years of service.

Wendy's press release framed the appointment as the "next step" in the company's turnaround plan but did not announce a timeline for any marketing strategy changes or a date for Hassan's first public remarks.