James C. Neuhauser is stepping up within the FAT (Fresh. Authentic. Tasty.) Brands company. The veteran financial executive is now the Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors.
Neuhauser has been an independent director on the FAT Brands Board since its inception in 2017. He brings over 30 years of experience in financial and strategic planning and investment banking, and he will now oversee FAT Brands’ accounting and legal departments and focus on the company’s public traded equities and relationship with investors.
Additionally, Neuhauser was formerly a Senior Managing Director in the Private Capital Markets Group of Stifel Nicolas & Company. Before that, he served as Chief Investment Officer of FBR & Co., where he was an early member of the firm and had spent 25 years in various roles.
Previous Chairman of the Board Edward H. Rensi will transition to Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors. According to the release, Rensi is the former President and Chief Executive Officer of McDonald’s USA and has been on FAT Brands' Board since its inception. He will continue to provide strategic counsel to the global restaurant franchising company.
Lynne L. Collier is a new addition to the board. Collier will serve as an Independent Director, bringing nearly 30 years of experience in public capital markets with a focus on the restaurant industry. Most recently, Collier served as a Managing Director in the Investor Relations Division at ICR Inc.
Prior to that, Collier had a 25-year career in equity research as a sell-side Consumer Analyst including for Loop Capital and Canaccord Genuity.
“Jim and Ed have been tremendous assets to FAT Brands over the last five years as we have reached a whole new level of scale,” said Andy Wiederhorn, Chief Executive Officer of FAT Brands. “I look forward to tapping further into Jim’s deep expertise in the public equity markets. I’m also pleased to welcome Lynne, who brings a new skill set to our Board as an experienced restaurant analyst.”
Congratulations to all as they start their next chapters.
