Five Things to Know About McDonald’s USA’s Incoming Chief Marketing and Digital Customer Experience Officer, Tariq Hassan

Tariq Hassan has been hired as USA’s Chief Marketing and Digital Customer Experience Officer for McDonald’s USA.

Here are five quick facts about him!

1. He believes that diversity is not a strategy but a value that starts with bringing one’s authentic self to work. Tariq advocates for diverse voices in all forms, knowing they are critical to increased creativity, better problem solving and increased innovation. His diverse perspective has been influenced by his more than 20 years working with global brands across a variety of categories. He’s also passionate about creating diverse and inclusive teams that foster an environment of belonging. Most recently at Petco, he served as the executive sponsor for the company’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging (DEI&B) advisory council and of the LGBTQ employee resource group, along with the boards of the Adweek DE&I and ANA CMO Growth councils. Tariq also sits on the global board of Education for Employment, a non-governmental organization dedicated to empowering marginalized youth across the Middle East and North Africa through vocational training and job placement.

2. He’s obsessed with being customer obsessed. A consumer strategist at heart, he has passion for deconstructing business challenges through consumer insights that inspire “big ideas” and creative marketing platforms. Today’s marketers need to add value to customer experiences in order to earn their loyalty and trust. His expertise lies in harnessing and leveraging data to create powerful customer experiences that strengthen a brand’s connection and maximize investment.

3. He knows brands succeed when they focus on their purpose. If his experience building global brands has taught him anything, it’s that when a brand’s purpose and values are universally understood and shared, it helps the customer, company employees and ultimately creates a trusted reputation. Tariq believes when a brand does what’s right for the customer, it’s doing what’s right for the business. He can’t wait to bring that mentality to his work with the McDonald’s Brand. 

4. He thinks if our goals don’t scare us – or at least make us nervous – they aren’t big enough. Tariq holds the firm belief that thinking small is a self-fulfilling outcome. He embraces the idea that you can’t achieve greatness if you are more concerned with failing. As a leader, he strives to create environments where teams can achieve extraordinary things together. He’s inspired by leaders who create a safe environment that enables teams to take smart, calculated risks.

5. He’s excited to return to Chicago to join the US team and the iconic McDonald’s Brand. Though Tariq’s career has taken him around the world with stops in a number of cities, Chicago holds a special place in his heart. He earned his Master’s in Integrated Marketing Communication from Northwestern University, began his advertising career at Leo Burnett, worked at FCB and helped found Element79 in Chicago. It’s also where he met his wife Carla and is where their daughter Noor was born.