RB has announced the appointment of Rita Patel as the brand's Chief Marketing Officer.
As general manager, Patel will oversee Arby's brand strategy, menu and culinary innovations, as well as advertising and integrated marketing communications. He will report directly to Jim Taylor, president of Arby Brand.
"Rita is a key driver of the brand's marketing and innovation strategy, and I am excited to welcome her to Arby's in this new role," said Taylor. "This decision is a great example of inspiring top talent and supporting their careers."
Patel joined Inspire Brands in 2020 as Brand Marketing Manager for Buffalo Wild Wings. In this role, Patel strengthened Buffalo Wild Wings' marketing organization, delivered strong brand results and implemented integrated ways of working across Buffalo Wild Wings' marketing, supply chain and franchisees. Under his leadership, the brand introduced successful new menu items such as Boneless Bar Pizza, Bird Dogs and Saucy Chicken.
Prior to Inspire, Patel was vice president of brand management at Target, where she oversaw the launch of brands such as Good & Gather and Everspring, built new capabilities for the organization, gained consumer insights and developed a strong understanding of brand purpose. He also held positions at Beam Suntory, MillerCoors and Wrigley.
"Arby's is a truly unique brand with an unconventional approach to marketing, and I'm thrilled to work with Jim and the entire Arby's team on delicious meat sandwiches and experiences for our customers," said Patel. "I have learned a lot at Buffalo Wild Wings and I look forward to applying that knowledge in my new role."
Founded in 1964, Arby's is the second largest sandwich brand in the world with more than 3,500 restaurants in nine countries.
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