Papa John’s International has hired Ravi Thanawala, the former chief financial officer of Nike North America, as its own CFO. Thanawala will take over the position on July 24, the company said.
Thanawala served as CFO of Nike North America, Nike’s largest division, for seven years. The division’s revenue for the fiscal year 2022 amounted to about $18 billion.
“Ravi is a multi-faceted leader who brings a combination of strategic financial leadership experience, operational acumen and international expertise,” said Rob Lynch, president and CEO of Papa Johns. “Ravi’s proven track record of leading companies with diversified business models and robust e-commerce platforms will be key to enabling our continued growth through both our corporate-owned and franchisee-led restaurants.”
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Lynch added, “His focus on mentorship and creating high-performing, collaborative teams also aligns with our No. 1 strategic priority of building a culture of leaders who believe in diversity, inclusivity and winning.”
“Papa Johns is a proven leader in the pizza delivery segment with its people-first culture, differentiated brand and innovative mindset,” Thanawala said. “The company’s vast whitespace available for development in the U.S. and internationally, a focus on operational excellence and a strong financial position make Papa Johns well-positioned to achieve long-term, profitable growth for the benefit of all of its stakeholders. I couldn’t be more excited to join the team.”
During his time at Nike, Inc., Mr. Thanawala also served as the global VP and CFO of the Converse brand, which included working within a franchise model that comprised most of the brand’s international business. In addition, he was the global VP of retail excellence, overseeing the brand’s performance across its business channels of franchises, licenses, direct to consumer and wholesale during a time of digital transformation for the business.
Prior to Nike, Inc., Mr. Thanawala spent eight years at ANN INC. with progressively increasing responsibilities in finance and operations. He served in the finance leadership role for LOFT; led ANN INC.’s Asia operations, global logistics and international trade based in Hong Kong; and eventually became CFO of the ANN INC. business, a subsidiary of Ascena Retail Group, Inc. He graduated from Stern School of Business at New York University with a Bachelor of Science in Finance and Policy Economics.