Global Marketing Update

Today, our President and CEO, Chris Kempczinski, shared the following note with the McDonald’s system announcing some leadership changes within our global marketing organization.   

Having worked with consumer brands my entire career, and now with the privilege of leading one of the greatest and most recognizable brands in the world, I have seen first-hand the power a strong brand has in delivering a successful business strategy. A brand is so much more than a logo; it’s a statement of values, intent and aspirations that consumers consciously (and unconsciously) choose to associate with. 

Over the last four years, Colin Mitchell, Senior Vice President, Global Marketing, has played an integral role in our marketing progress, and in turn, McDonald’s growth as a whole. In particular, the activation of our global brand positioning was a meaningful part of our turnaround and gave renewed style and energy to the way McDonald’s appears in the world. 

Colin has decided now is the time to leave McDonald’s in search of a new challenge. I’m extremely grateful for all he has done, and I know you’ll join me in wishing him well. 

As we look to the future, I am confident in the leadership of two of the most respected marketers in the industry to accelerate our recovery from the crisis, Alistair Macrow and Morgan Flatley. 

I am pleased to announce the promotion of Alistair Macrow to SVP, Chief Marketing Officer, reporting directly to me. Alistair will assume Colin’s responsibilities for Global Menu Strategy, Global Brand, Global Insights, Family, and Global Marketing Enablement. Additionally, Alistair will work closely with the markets to strengthen our marketing training programs and career planning process as we develop the next generation of Chief Marketing Officers for McDonald’s. 

Many in the System—and particularly those in our European and Asian markets—will know Alistair. He has a reputation for setting bold visions and driving meaningful results. In his nearly 15 years with McDonald’s, Alistair has repeatedly tapped into his intimate knowledge of the customer to make holistic brand visions tangible – first in the UK and most recently as Chief Marketing Officer for our Internationally Operated Markets. Colin and Alistair will work together to ensure a smooth transition, and Alistair will work with Ian Borden to identify his successor. 

It has been said that the U.S. is “the heartbeat of McDonald’s”, and the success of our U.S. business is critical. In his new role, Alistair will partner closely with Morgan Flatley, now SVP and U.S. Chief Marketing and Digital Customer Experience Officer, whose role encompasses field marketing, digital, media, CRM, brand content and engagement, consumer insights and strategy, and menu for the U.S. market. Morgan has significantly strengthened our strategic marketing capabilities in the U.S. and globally and built strong relationships with our agency and owner-operator partners. 

As we emerge from this global pandemic, consumers’ trust in the McDonald’s brand and compelling marketing programs in every country where we operate will be critical to re-establish the strong business momentum we enjoyed leading into this crisis. I’m confident Alistair and Morgan can lead McDonald’s to even greater heights following this crisis. More importantly, both personify the values of inclusivity and innovation that define McDonald’s, and that I expect from our senior leaders. 

Please join me in congratulating them.

Chris