CKE Restaurant Holdings Inc., the parent company of quick-service restaurant chains Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s, on Wednesday announced the appointment of Matthew Wells as its first chief global development officer, specifically charged with creating a Global Development Center of Excellence to open new restaurants domestically and abroad.
Walls most recently was senior vice president for global franchise development at Domino’s Pizza, where he worked for 15 years. Before that, he held positions in operations, e-commerce and logistics at Yum Brands and General Electric Appliances.
“Walls, as he is known in our industry, is experienced in delivering progressive business development strategies, innovative designs and solid partnerships with franchisees,” CKE CEO Ned Lyerly said in the release announcing Walls’ appointment. “His global experience, strategic mindset and track record for successfully managing a Development Center of Excellence make him a great addition to our team.”
Walls, who officially joined the company on June 7, said he was looking forward to taking on his new duties.
“I’m excited to join Ned and the Leadership Team as we build a new Center of Excellence to capitalize on our development insights from around the world,” he said. “Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s are two iconic brands, each with an amazing heritage built by our franchisees. It’s this strong heritage that gives us leverage to springboard restaurant growth globally throughout the CKE system.”
Walls will relocate to the Nashville area, where CKE is headquartered. Between Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s, there are 3,800 franchised or company-operated restaurants in 44 states and 43 countries.
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