Domino’s: Announces Leadership Succession Plan

Ann Arbor / MG. (dp) Domino’s Pizza Inc., the largest pizza company in the world, announced that Ritch Allison has informed the Board of Directors of his intention to retire from the Company. Allison will continue to serve as Chief Executive Officer through April 30, 2022 and will remain on the Domino’s Board of Directors until the Company’s 2022 Annual Meeting of Shareholders on April 26, 2022. The Board has appointed Russell Weiner, Domino’s Chief Operating Officer and President – Domino’s U.S., to succeed Allison as the Company’s next CEO, effective May 01, 2022. Weiner will stand for election to the Board at the upcoming Annual Meeting of Shareholders. Allison will continue to provide his guidance and expertise to the Company in an advisory capacity until he retires from Domino’s on July 15, 2022. In connection with this announcement, David A. Brandon will transition from Chairman of the Board to the newly established position of Executive Chairman, effective May 01, 2022.

Weiner has served as Chief Operating Officer and President – Domino’s U.S. since July 2020. In this role, Weiner has overseen the U.S. business for Domino’s, as well as the global centers of excellence teams responsible for marketing, operations, store growth and development, franchise relations, analytics and insights and e-commerce. Since joining Domino’s as Executive Vice President – Chief Marketing Officer in 2008, he has been integral to driving results in the U.S. During Weiner’s tenure, the Company’s annual U.S. retail sales have grown from approximately USD 3 billion to more than USD 8 billion. In addition, digital mix has grown from 11.5 percent of U.S. sales to more than 75 percent, U.S. store count has grown over 25 percent and Domino’s U.S. market share of QSR pizza has more than doubled. Weiner also led the Company’s Pizza Turnaround campaign, central to the success of the Domino’s brand.

Allison said, «Serving at Domino’s for more than a decade, including the last four years as CEO, has been the privilege of a lifetime. During that time, we and our franchises have achieved tremendous growth and today the Domino’s brand is as strong as ever. While there is much that I will remember fondly, I am most proud of the culture that ties us all together – the «sauce in our veins» that makes Domino’s so special. Domino’s has the best franchisees in the world and I am grateful for them, along with our incredible store managers, and team members. With Russell as CEO and with the addition of Sandeep as CFO, supported by the rest of our leadership team, I am comfortable and confident stepping aside, knowing that Domino’s has strong leaders who are passionate and committed to our business. I look forward to watching the Company continue to grow under their guidance.»

Brandon commented, «We are fortunate to have a talented and experienced leader like Russell to move into the CEO role. Russell’s strategic and operational capabilities have been demonstrated consistently over his many years of service to our company. He has played a pivotal leadership role in driving innovation and transforming many aspects of the Domino’s brand during his tenure, including reinventing Domino’s menu and advertising. He has a passion for our brand and company and a vision for our continued expansion and success worldwide. As we enter a new phase of growth for the Company, we believe Russell’s energy, inspirational leadership style and earned respect of our Team Members and Franchisees make him the right choice to take Domino’s forward.»

Brandon added, «On behalf of the Board and the Company, I want to thank Ritch for his many contributions to Domino’s. Ritch’s dedication to the Company is second to none, and throughout his tenure as CEO, he has been a force for positive change in all aspects of the organization. This includes opening approximately 4,000 new stores, expanding the brand to over 90 global markets, and increasing global retail sales by over USD 5 billion. Domino’s is well positioned as we enter this next phase of growth. We appreciate Ritch’s continued involvement as an advisor as we ensure a smooth transition.»

Weiner said, «I am honored to lead this great company and brand that I love. Domino’s became the #1 pizza company in the world through a relentless focus on our customers and every aspect of their pizza experience. That focus is as strong as ever and I am excited to work with our talented leaders, team members and franchisees to deliver the next phase of Domino’s growth. I thank Ritch for his leadership and collaboration and look forward to working with him to ensure a seamless transition.»

In addition, the Company announced that Sandeep Reddy has been appointed as Domino’s next Chief Financial Officer, effective April 01, 2022.

As CFO of Six Flags, Reddy led the company’s emergence from the pandemic with strong financial results in 2021 and also served as a strategic thought partner to the CEO and the leadership team in strategy development. Prior to that, as CFO of Guess?, Inc., Reddy, along with the management team, led a turnaround of financial results with strong improvement in revenue, profitability, and shareholder value.

Brandon concluded, «Sandeep is a proven executive who brings nearly three decades of global leadership experience in consumer facing businesses. His financial acumen and expertise in operations, strategy, technology and management make him a natural choice to serve as our next CFO. Ritch and Russell partnered well together in the recruitment and selection of Sandeep, and together with the Board, we are confident that Sandeep will be integral in helping Russell and the rest of the Leadership Team drive continued growth and success for Domino’s into the future.»

Reddy said, «I have had the privilege of working with many great brands over my career and I am thrilled with this opportunity to now work with what I believe is a truly iconic global brand with enormous growth potential. With the strong financial foundation and talented leadership team already in place at Domino’s, I am confident in the Company’s prospects for continued value creation and look forward to partnering with Russell and the Leadership Team as we chart our roadmap for the journey ahead.»

About Domino’s Pizza

Founded in 1960, Domino’s Pizza is the largest pizza company in the world, with a significant business in both delivery and carryout pizza. It ranks among the world’s top public restaurant brands with a global enterprise of more than 18,800 stores in over 90 markets. Domino’s had global retail sales of nearly USD 17.8 billion in 2021, with over USD 8.6 billion in the U.S. and over USD 9.1 billion internationally. In the fourth quarter of 2021, Domino’s had global retail sales of over USD 5.5 billion, with over USD 2.6 billion in the U.S. and nearly USD 2.9 billion internationally. Its system is comprised of independent franchise owners who accounted for 98 percent of Domino’s stores as of the end of the fourth quarter of 2021. Emphasis on technology innovation helped Domino’s achieve more than half of all global retail sales in 2021 from digital channels. In the U.S., Domino’s generated more than 75 percent of U.S. retail sales in 2021 via digital channels and has developed several innovative ordering platforms, including those for Google Home, Facebook Messenger, Apple Watch, Amazon Echo, Twitter and more. In 2019, Domino’s announced a partnership with Nuro to further its exploration and testing of autonomous pizza delivery. In mid-2020, Domino’s launched a new way to order contactless carryout nationwide – via Domino’s «Carside Delivery», which customers can choose when placing a prepaid online order.