Wendy's names Corina Black as first CMO, as US brand returns after 40-year absence

Fast-food chain Wendy’s has appointed its first chief marketing officer for Asia Pacific, naming Corina Black to the newly created role as the US brand accelerates its return to Australia after a 40-year absence.

Black’s appointment comes just three months after Wendy’s reopened its doors in the Australian market with a flagship store in Surfer’s Paradise on January 15. The launch marked the beginning of a planned rollout of 200 Wendy’s locations nationwide by 2034, spearheaded by Flynn Group, which holds the master franchise licence for Wendy’s and Pizza Hut across Australia and New Zealand.

A seasoned marketing executive with experience across sport, entertainment and hospitality, Black most recently served as general manager of marketing and ticketing at the National Rugby League. She will now lead brand, marketing and customer strategy for Wendy’s across ANZ, working from the company’s Sydney base. The role is the first CMO-level appointment dedicated to Wendy’s in the APAC region.

“As the chief marketing officer, I have the privilege of leading the charge to bring this iconic brand to the Australian market,” Black said. “We’re here to deliver something different – a brand with personality, a menu with quality, and an experience that customers will want to share."

Earlier this year Wendy’s appointed an agency roster to support its APAC growth, with VML serving as lead strategic and creative agency, alongside global communications firm Burson and full-service creative agency Today the Brave.

Alongside Black’s appointment, Flynn Group has named Richard Wallis as president of Flynn Group Asia Pacific. A QSR veteran, Wallis joins from Yum! Brands where he most recently served as managing director of KFC Asia Pacific, overseeing more than 17,000 restaurants and US$16 billion in revenue. He began his career delivering pizzas for Pizza Hut and has held leadership roles across operations, HR and tech.

Wallis will be based in Sydney and oversee the strategic growth and operations of Flynn Group’s restaurant brands across Australia and New Zealand. He replaces Phil Reed, who led the business from 2018 and oversaw 23 consecutive quarters of positive same-store sales growth.

“As the largest franchisee in the world, Flynn Group outperforms in every brand it operates, all thanks to the team’s customer-first approach and passion for high quality fresh food,” said Wallis. “We couldn’t be more aligned in that philosophy. I’m thrilled to take on this new chapter of growth.”

Flynn Group is the world’s largest franchise operator, with more than 2,900 restaurants globally across brands including Wendy’s, Arby’s, Applebee’s and Taco Bell. In 2023, the company entered the Australian market after acquiring the Pizza Hut business from private equity firm Allegro Funds.

With Wendy’s, the group is now aiming to seize whitespace in the Australian QSR sector, a market dominated by established players such as McDonald’s, Hungry Jack’s and KFC. The Wendy’s brand is positioned around fresh, high-quality ingredients and a “modern fast food” experience designed to appeal to younger Australian audiences.

Lauren Leahy, Flynn Group’s chief transformation officer, said the company is building for the long term.

“Richard brings an impressive balance of focused execution and visionary leadership. Alongside Corina and the dedicated team already in place, he is the perfect fit to lead Flynn Group’s strategic growth agenda in APAC.”