American fast-food corporation The Wendy’s Company has hired Edward Gustenhoven as its new vice president, technology services.

The technology specialist comes from the manufacturing and distribution company Dal-Tile, where he served as IT manager for more than two years.

At the company, he led all aspects of IT transformation and growth, including across ERP/CRM/POS systems, data and analytics, supply chain/distribution optimisation, manufacturing automation, digital transformation and integrated business planning.

During his stint at Dal-Tile, he also created a long-term strategy for a new point-of-sale system to replace the legacy platform, to boost greater efficiency, scalability and a better user experience.

He was also tasked with evaluating the firm’s existing legacy SAP environment.

At Wendy’s, the tech specialist will be tasked with overseeing workplace technology and vendor governance, ensuring the restaurant chain’s technology roadmap supports business objectives and operational excellence.

Gustenhoven has also served as IT director at Pabst Brewing Company for over four years where he led IT strategy and collaborated with business partners to drive revenue and volume growth, cost control, strategy, and cultural change.

Other responsibilities included leading the initiative to transition from an internally developed legacy ERP to a Microsoft AX platform, launching a three-year data analytics roadmap with a vision based on AI and machine learning. He also launched a customer portal to improve the ordering process by providing online ordering, invoicing, production schedules, inventory viewing, and shipment tracking.

In a Linkedin post, the US hamburger chain said: “We’re thrilled for the thought leadership and expertise he brings to our organisation.”

Headquartered in Dublin, Ohio, The Wendy’s Company says it is the world's third-largest quick-service hamburger chain with over 7,000 restaurants in more than 30 countries.

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