Hershey Appoints Kirk Tanner as CEO, Effective August 18

The Hershey Company has announced the appointment of Kirk Tanner as its new President and CEO, effective August 18, 2025. Tanner will succeed Michele Buck, who is retiring after leading the company through nearly a decade of transformational growth. Buck will remain in an advisory role to support the leadership transition.

Tanner brings more than 30 years of experience in the food and beverage sector, most recently serving as President and CEO of The Wendy’s Company. Prior to that, he held a series of senior leadership roles at PepsiCo, including CEO of PepsiCo Beverages North America, where he oversaw a EUR26bn business and spearheaded growth across brands such as Gatorade, Mountain Dew and Pure Leaf.

“Kirk is a proven, high-impact leader in the food and beverage industry with a great combination of customer and consumer passion, commercial acumen and operational scale,” said Mary Kay Haben, Lead Independent Director and Chair of the CEO Search Committee. “His deep experience in snacks, beverages, M&A and innovation—combined with public company CEO and board roles—makes him well suited to lead Hershey into the future.”

Tanner called the appointment a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” noting his commitment to consumer satisfaction, customer partnerships and colleague investment.

Outgoing CEO Michele Buck has been widely credited with steering Hershey’s evolution from a confectionery company to a diversified snacking leader. Under her leadership, Hershey expanded into better-for-you and savoury snacks, growing revenue to over EUR10.3bn annually.

“It has been the honour of my career to lead Hershey,” Buck said. “I’m confident Kirk will carry forward our vision and values, and continue to unlock growth across categories and markets.”

Hershey’s global portfolio includes household names such as Reese’s, Kit Kat, SkinnyPop, and Dot’s Pretzels. The company operates in approximately 70 countries with a workforce of over 20,000.