Emil Brolick, 63, is an experienced senior executive, with nearly three decades of strategic and brand leadership experience in operations, product development and marketing.

Brolick is currently President and Chief Executive Officer of The Wendy’s Company and a member of the Company’s Board of Directors.

He has established a proven track record of driving consistent same-store sales growth and profits with strong strategic and consumer insights, marketing expertise and operational excellence.

In previous roles, Brolick held several executive leadership roles at Yum! Brands, Inc., including Chief Operating Officer of Yum and President of the A&W and Long John Silver's chains (June 2008 to September 2011); President of U.S. Brand Building (December 2006 to June 2008); and President and Chief Concept Officer of Taco Bell (July 2000 to November 2006).

Under Brolick’s leadership, Taco Bell produced five consecutive years of same-store sales, transaction and profit growth to become the nation's leading Mexican-style quick service restaurant chain.

Before joining Yum! Brands, Brolick was with Wendy's International, Inc. for 12 years (March 1988 to July 2000), lastly serving as Senior Vice President, New Product Marketing, Research and Strategic Planning. Brolick was one of the primary architects of Wendy's 1988 turnaround, which helped produce 16 consecutive years of same-store sales growth. During his tenure, Brolick worked closely with Wendy’s Founder Dave Thomas and former CEO’s Jim Near and Gordon Teter.

Previously, Brolick worked in a number of leadership positions for Ponderosa, Inc., Copeland Corp. and Chrysler Corp. in the areas of marketing, corporate development, finance and investor relations.

Brolick is as Trustee of the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption and is currently Chairman of the Board of Governors of Boys & Girls Clubs of America. He was previously Chairman of the Taco Bell Foundation.

A graduate of the University of Detroit, Brolick holds Bachelor's and Master's Degrees in Economics.
 

Darrell G. van Ligten is President, International and leads the Wendy’s brand outside North America. van Ligten previously served as Senior Vice President, Strategic Development from February 2009 to February 2010.  

Prior to joining the Company, van Ligten was a partner of Regent Golf, a private club management company he co-founded in 2007. From 2006 to 2007, he was an Executive-In-Residence at Catalytic Capital. van Ligten served as Senior Vice President, Marketing and Operation Services of American Golf Corp. from 2003 to 2006. He served as General Manager, Toybox Group at Toys R Us, Inc. from 2001 to 2003. Prior to 2001, van Ligten held management positions in Strategic Planning and Marketing at Tricon Global Restaurants, Inc. (now Yum! Brands, Inc.), Arby’s, Inc., Taco Bell Corp. and PepsiCo, Inc.

van Ligten graduated from the Management and Technology Program at the University of Pennsylvania with a B.S. in Economics from The Wharton School and a Bachelor of Applied Science from The Moore School of Electrical Engineering.