Wendi Eriksen

Wendi Eriksen has served as Senior Vice President and Chief Data Officer for The Wendy’s Company since February 2024. Wendi joined the Company as Vice President of Data Management and Analytics in 2021 and later took on additional responsibility for Cloud Platform Engineering, Infrastructure and Operations. 

Wendi is responsible for furnishing the business with data essential for making timely and well-informed decisions and enabling actionable insights from customer data through segmentation and machine learning. Further, she is accountable for AI and technology innovation, including defining their roles within the Wendy’s business model to align with strategic objectives, as well as their capacity to address business challenges and foster growth. She also leads the Company’s International technology initiatives aimed at facilitating efficient and effective scaling across global markets. 

Prior to Wendy’s, she spent 13 years in technology leadership positions at Walmart including Sr. Director, Data, Analytics, Innovation and Architecture; Sr. Director, International Data Services; and Sr. Director, SAP HR among others. Wendi also has prior experience in technology roles with progressive leadership accountability working at IBM, Tyson Foods, Levi Strauss & Co., and John Deere.

Her most cherished memory of Wendy’s dates back to her childhood in Wyoming. She fondly recalls how her mother would treat her to Wendy’s after visits to the doctor and dentist, turning what could have been dreaded appointments into special outings she looked forward to. These days, Wendi’s favorite menu items are Dave’s Single® and a Classic Chocolate Frosty®.

Wendi earned a B.S. in Business Administration and Information Systems from the University of Nebraska – Lincoln. 

Away from work, she is a high school VEX Robotics advocate, sponsor and mentor; a member of the operating committee for Children and Families Advocacy Center; a Girls in STEM mentor; and an advisory board member for Team8 Data Village and Modal.