Papa John’s International has brought in a heavy hitter, previously a high-level executive at Domino’s Pizza and Wendy’s, to lead its digital and technology team.
Kevin Vasconi has been appointed to the position of Papa Johns’ chief digital and technology officer, bringing proven enterprise technology leadership to the company, according to a press release.
Vasconi most recently served as chief information officer for The Wendy’s Company, where he reportedly tripled its ecommerce business in three years through a consumer-centric approach, leveraging technology to build loyalty with Wendy’s customers.
In his new role at Papa Johns, Vasconi will be responsible for guiding the development and execution of Papa Johns’ long-term strategy across the entire digital and technology ecosystem, including customer-facing, restaurant and corporate technology. This includes enterprise architecture, engineering, data analytics, enterprise technology and information security, as well as advancing scalable, cost-effective technology capabilities for the franchise system globally, the company said.
Working closely with the marketing organization and restaurant operations, he plans to “develop innovative solutions for customers and team members that enable the delivery of superior quality pizza to Papa Johns customers around the world.”
“Kevin and I worked together at The Wendy’s Company, where I experienced first-hand his ability to lead technology innovation that delivered significant impact for our customers, team members and franchisees,” said Todd Penegor, Papa Johns president and CEO. “His experience spans a number of industries, though his leadership in QSR, in particular, has been recognized in the industry and has served as an inspiration for other peers in our category. I look forward to Kevin’s partnership across our leadership team to build on the success Papa Johns has had in the digital space, while also leveraging technology to develop even better platforms, partnerships and systems to enable us to build for the future.”
Prior to The Wendy’s Company, Mr. Vasconi spent eight years at Domino’s as executive vice president and chief information officer, where he was responsible for developing and growing its domestic and international ecommerce businesses. He has a 35-plus year career in technology, including 12 years at Ford Motor Company and CIO and CTO roles at Covisint LLC, Polk North America, Polk Global Automotive, and Stanley Black & Decker.
“I am excited to join the talented team at Papa Johns and lead our technology strategy as we look to create great experiences for our customers and team members around the globe,” Vasconi said. “I have a passion for the restaurant industry, where I’ve spent the past 12 years of my career, because of our ability to impact so many consumers through technology every day. Papa Johns is a brand I’ve admired given its continued innovation in the technology space. With the digital space in QSR becoming more competitive than ever, there’s both great challenge and opportunity ahead. I’m looking forward to working with the executive team and our technology team to unlocking growth for Papa Johns.”
Vasconi will report to Penegor and serve on the Papa Johns executive leadership team. Additionally, current executive leadership team members, Ravi Thanawala and Joe Sieve, have assumed expanded roles.
Thanawala, Chief Financial Officer, has been appointed CFO and EVP, International. In this new position, he will manage the company’s international business, which includes markets outside of the United States and Canada, along with his CFO responsibilities.
Sieve has been appointed chief restaurant and global development officer. In this new position, he will oversee all global development, as well as corporate and franchise restaurant operations.