McDonald's announces promotion of Steve Easterbrook to UK Chief Executive
UK Press Releases
April 27, 2006
McDonald's Restaurants Ltd announced today the promotion of Steve Easterbrook to President, Chief Executive Officer of the UK business.
Steve - currently Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer - will take over the role with immediate effect, primarily focused on driving the next phase of the UK's customer-focused business plan.
Steve joined the UK business as a Corporate Accountant in 1993, and since then has spent time in Finance and Operations, plus a secondment to McDonald's Corporation in Chicago. In 2001 he was appointed Regional Vice President for the Southern Region, and most recently was promoted to Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer in 2005. In this role Steve assumed responsibility for all aspects of McDonald's Restaurants UK business, and has been a key member of the management team instrumental in driving forward the Company's Plan to Win.
Commenting on Steve Easterbrook's appointment, Glen Steeves, Chief Operating Officer McDonald's Europe, said: "In his 13 years with McDonald's Steve has proved time and again his ability, commitment and determination to ensure the continued success and growth of the business. Steve is a great example of home-grown talent who will provide the vision, values and energy to take the UK business forward. He has already demonstrated his credentials with his work around the future focus of our Plan to Win."
As we have previously outlined, McDonald's is committed to modernising restaurant designs which are tailor-made for customers appealing to local tastes, signalling the end of a one size fits all approach to the McDonald's offering in the UK.
The 'mini-market' schemes in five towns and cities, from Blackpool and Bolton to Birmingham, will see customers able to try out eight experimental new looks with simple colours, modern graphics and the introduction of contemporary furniture into restaurants. Our plan also sees improvements in management, service and food with all restaurants receiving new kitchen improvements by the end of next year to deliver food that is hotter, fresher and faster. Additionally, McDonald's will be training our 12,000 people in the next 12 months to lift service standards.
This next phase of modernisation follows on from changes that have already been made to the menu, where advice from independent nutritionists and mums have helped reshape the choices on offer. Happy Meals now include options like fruit bags, carrot sticks and water, and there is now even more nutritional information to help mum's choose options that are right for their children.
McDonald's Corporation announced yesterday that Peter Beresford, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of McDonald's U.K. and Division President of McDonald's Northern Europe, is set to join the Global Marketing Department's senior management team in a newly created role to lead strategic Global Brand Development.
He will assume his responsibilities at the company's Oak Brook home office effective May 1st, reporting to Mary Dillon, McDonald's Global Chief Marketing Officer. While in the UK, Peter drove the Plan to Win by increasing customer outreach and nutrition information, enhancing menu choice and variety, and developing a strong bench of senior management talent.
For further information please contact the McDonald's Press Office on:
Tel: 020 8700 7320
Email: commscoordinator@uk.mcd.com
