Patricia Capel has served as a member of the Board of Directors since June 2024 and as Board Chair since 2025. She previously served as a member of our Board of Directors from April 2021 to September 2022. Ms. Capel is currently a Senior Partner and Global Head of Human Capital at JAB Holding Company, where she joined as a Partner in 2021. Ms. Capel leads JAB’s overall people strategy, overseeing talent, compensation, organizational development, and leadership initiatives across the firm and its portfolio companies to support long-term growth and performance. Previously, Ms. Capel spent 25 years at Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV (“AB InBev”) in a series of senior leadership roles, including Vice President of Finance for Central and Eastern Europe, leadership roles supporting major M&A integrations, and Vice President of Global People (HR), where she oversaw global talent attraction, development, and remuneration. She also served as President of the Andina Business Unit, leading commercial operations across Chile, Bolivia, and Paraguay. Earlier in her career, Ms. Capel held roles at PwC and Cargill Argícola S.A. Ms. Capel is currently a member of the board of directors and remuneration and nomination committee of Coty, Inc. (NYSE: COTY), and she is a member of the boards of directors of Panera Brands, Inc., and several other JAB-controlled companies. Ms. Capel holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Universidade de São Paulo, and an M.B.A. from Business School São Paulo.
Joshua Charlesworth has served as a member of our Board of Directors and as our President and Chief Executive Officer since January 2024. He served as our Global President from June 2022 to December 2023 and our Chief Operating Officer from May 2019 to December 2023. Mr. Charlesworth served as our Chief Financial Officer from April 2017 to January 2023 and our Corporate Secretary from July 2018 to August 2020. Prior to joining Krispy Kreme, Mr. Charlesworth held various leadership positions at Mars, Incorporated. He most recently served as Global Chief Financial Officer of Mars Chocolate from January 2015 to April 2017. Mr. Charlesworth holds a B.Sc. in Economics from the London School of Economics and is a member of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants.
David Deno has served as a member of our Board of Directors since September 2016. He serves as Lead Independent Director of the Board and as the Chair of the Audit and Finance Committee of the Board. Mr. Deno is currently President and Chief Executive Officer and a member of the board of directors of Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc. (NASDAQ: CBRL) since August 2026. Previously, Mr. Deno served as Chief Executive Officer of Bloomin’ Brands, Inc. (NASDAQ: BLMN, “Bloomin’ Brands”) from 2019 to 2024 and, prior to that, as the Chief Financial and Administrative Officer of Bloomin’ Brands from 2012 to 2019. As Chief Financial Officer of Bloomin’ Brands, Mr. Deno led the company’s successful initial public offering, including establishing financial processes and systems to enable continued success, led the company through the difficult COVID period, and executed a successful strategy including investments in the U.S. brands and Brazilian team to enable the company to operate as one of the top casual dining restaurant companies in the world. Mr. Deno’s career has included more than 15 years in senior level operations and financial positions at PepsiCo, Inc. (NASDAQ: PEP) and YUM! Brands, Inc. (NYSE:YUM), formerly a subsidiary of PepsiCo) where he served as Chief Financial Officer and then Chief Operating Officer. As Chief Financial Officer at YUM! Brands, he helped set the strategy for a new public company and establish financial processes and systems to enable success. As a result, YUM! grew its U.S. and International business significantly, resulting in a significant increase in shareholder value. He previously served as a member of the board of directors of Panera Brands, Bloomin’ Brands, Peet’s Coffee, and Caribou/Einstein Bagels. Mr. Deno holds a B.A. in Economics and Political Science from Macalester College and an M.B.A. from the University of Michigan.
Patrick Grismer has served as a member of our Board since June 2025. Mr. Grismer served as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Starbucks Coffee Company (NASDAQ: SBUX) from November 2018 to February 2021, and as Special Advisor to the CEO from February 2021 to April 2021. From March 2016 to November 2018, Mr. Grismer served as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Hyatt Hotels Corporation (NYSE: H). Prior to that, Mr. Grismer spent nearly 14 years with Yum! Brands, Inc. (NYSE: YUM), a global quick-service restaurant company, in a number of executive roles, including serving as Chief Financial Officer of Yum! Brands, Inc. from May 2012 to February 2016. Prior to that, Mr. Grismer served in various leadership positions at The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS) from 1990 to 2000, including Vice President of Business Planning and Development for The Disneyland Resort and Chief Financial Officer for Disney Vacation Club. Mr. Grismer began his career as a consultant with PricewaterhouseCoopers. Mr. Grismer currently serves as a member of the board of directors and audit and risk management committee of Deckers Outdoor Corporation (NYSE: DECK) since September 2025. He served as a member of the board of directors of Panera Brands from September 2022 to April 2025, including serving as board chair from June 2024 to April 2025 and audit committee chair from July 2023 to November 2024. Mr. Grismer holds a B.S. in Accounting from the University of Southern California Marshall School of Business and an M.B.A. from Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management.
Bernardo Hees has served as a member of our Board since June 2025 and serves as the Chair of the Strategy and Operating Committee of the Board. Mr. Hees is currently an Operating Partner at The Cranemere Holdings Group, a long-term industrial holdings firm, since March 2024, and a Senior Advisor to JAB with respect to its investment in Krispy Kreme, Inc. since April 2025. Prior to this, he has held numerous leadership roles at global companies, serving as Executive Chairman of Avis Budget Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: CAR), a global mobility company, from 2020 until 2024, Chief Executive Officer of The Kraft Heinz Company from 2015 until 2019, and as Chief Executive Officer of H.J. Heinz Holding Corporation from 2013 until 2015. From 2010 to 2013, Mr. Hees served as Chief Executive Officer of Burger King Worldwide, Inc. and its predecessor entity. From 2005 to 2010, Mr. Hees served as Chief Executive Officer of América Latina Logistica (ALL Logistics), a Brazilian logistics company. Mr. Hees was a Partner at 3G Capital, a global investment firm, from 2010 until 2019. He currently serves as a member of the board of directors of Avis Budget Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: CAR) and, from 2019 to 2025, he served as a member of the board of directors of Bunge Global SA (NYSE: BG), a global agribusiness and food company. Mr. Hees holds a B.A. in Economics from the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro/Brazil and an M.B.A. from Warwick Business School in the United Kingdom. He also completed the Owners/President Management program at the Harvard Business School.
David Shear has served as a member of our Board since April 2026. Mr. Shear previously served at Restaurant Brands International Inc. (“RBI”) since that company’s founding in 2014 with the merger of Burger King and Tim Hortons, most recently as an Advisor to RBI from March 2024 to March 2025 and as President, International from 2021 to March 2024, responsible for approximately 15,000 Burger King, Popeyes, Tim Hortons, and Firehouse Subs restaurants operating in more than 100 countries around the world. Prior to this, Mr. Shear served as President EMEA beginning in September 2016. Mr. Shear joined the predecessor of RBI in 2011, holding roles of increasing responsibility within Burger King U.S. marketing. He then held various roles in Asia Pacific, including serving as President of Burger King APAC from 2014 to 2016. Prior to joining Burger King, Mr. Shear worked at strategy consulting firm Charles River Associates. Mr. Shear holds a B.A. in Economics from Bates College and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School.
Easwaran Sundaram has served as a member of our Board since June 2025. Mr. Sundaram is currently an Operating Executive at Tailwind Capital, a mid-market private equity firm, and the Founder and a General Partner at Utpata Ventures LLC, an early-stage startup fund with a focus on deep technology, the future of transportation, space, and aerospace investments. Prior to this, Mr. Sundaram served as the Executive Vice President and Chief Digital and Technology Officer of JetBlue Airways Corporation from 2012 until his retirement in February 2021 where he led the company’s transformation from a traditional airline to a travel technology company, and delivered substantial cost savings through technology transformation in flight, crew operations, customer support, and fleet programs. Mr. Sundaram was also a founding member and oversight officer of JetBlue Technology Ventures, a JetBlue Airways subsidiary that incubates, invests in, and partners with startups. Previously, he was Senior Vice President of Global Supply Chain and Chief Information Officer at Pall Corporation where he drove digital transformation and operational synergies. Prior to this, Mr. Sundaram served in a senior supply chain management role at PSS World Medical – McKesson Corporation. Mr. Sundaram is currently a member of the board of directors and audit committee of WESCO International (NYSE: WCC) and, from 2020 to 2025, he served as a member of the board of directors of SolarWinds Corporation until that company became privately held. Mr. Sundaram holds a M.S. in International Transportation Management and Operations Research from State University of New York Maritime College, a Post Baccalaureate Diploma in Logistics Management from the Institute of Rail Management in India, and a B.S. in Chemistry from the Madurai Kamaraj University.
Melissa Werneck has served as a member of our Board since April 2026 and serves as the Chair of the Compensation, Nomination, and Governance Committee of the Board. Ms. Werneck currently serves as a consultant to the executive leadership team at The Kraft Heinz Company (“Kraft Heinz”), having previously worked at Kraft Heinz between 2013 and April 2026, most recently as an Executive Advisor from August 2025 to April 2026. Prior to that, Ms. Werneck served as Executive Vice President and Global Chief People Officer, where she engineered the company’s approach to people and culture, leading succession, talent management, leadership and capabilities development, compensation, performance management, engagement, and inclusion. Ms. Werneck also led the information technology and shared services departments at Kraft Heinz during five of her 12 years at that company. Prior to joining Kraft Heinz, Ms. Werneck worked at America Latina Logistica, where she last served as Chief People Officer and Performance Management Executive Vice-President from 2010 to 2013. Ms. Werneck is currently a member of the board of directors and chair of the compensation, people, nominating and governance committee of XP, Inc. (NASDAQ: XP). Ms. Werneck holds a degree in Chemical Engineering from Federal University of Minas Gerais in Brazil and an MBA from the COPPEAD Graduate School of Business at the Federal University of Rio De Janeiro in Brazil.