Kirk Tanner
Chief Executive Officer
2025 – Present
1 year (current)
Key Decisions & Impact
Taking the helm as CEO in August 2025, Kirk Tanner arrived with decades of high-level consumer packaged goods experience, having previously served in top executive roles at PepsiCo and as CEO of Wendy's. His primary strategic mandate is to navigate the company through an era of unprecedented supply chain volatility and structural inflation in core commodity markets, specifically the skyrocketing global price of raw cocoa. He has mandated a renewed, intense focus on rapid product innovation, digital consumer engagement, and relentless operational efficiency across the company's global manufacturing footprint. His appointment marks a deliberate strategic shift toward external, specialized logistics expertise.
Legacy
While his tenure is just beginning Tanner is tasked with proving that Hershey's recent transition into a diversified 'snacking powerhouse' can be integrated and scaled globally. His extensive background in complex beverage and fast-food logistics is expected to provide the exact operational rigor necessary to protect the company's historic profit margins during turbulent economic conditions.