The following message was sent to the McDonald's System from Joe Erlinger. 

McDonald’s USA,

Shortly after the holidays, Tariq Hassan, our Chief Marketing and Customer Experience Officer, shared with me that after much reflection, he had come to the conclusion that now is the right time for him to step aside from his role at McDonald’s. It was clear it was not a choice he made lightly. Tariq loves this brand, loves this System and loves the team he has assembled.

But as he shared with me, and as I know we can all appreciate, he’s at a point now where he feels the team and the work is in very strong shape, a strong successor has been identified to lead the team forward, and time with his daughter before she heads off to college in the fall and time with his wife after many years of being remote, takes precedence.

Tariq will stay on to support the transition through most of the first quarter.

I’m very grateful to Tariq for all he has contributed to McDonald’s and to my leadership team. I still remember fondly our first discussions and how — just as I have been in many discussions since — I was struck by Tariq’s passion, his vision and his broad awareness of and connection to the changes in the world around us.

Tariq has been a powerful force in driving our business forward and putting our brand at the center of culture while delivering on our Accelerating the Arches strategy. Under his leadership, we have built deeper connections with our customers, delivered award-winning campaigns, and found new ways to innovate, which helped strengthen McDonald’s position in a competitive marketplace. We also leaned into fan truths to create authentic connections with our customers through milestone moments like adult Happy Meals, food hacks and reigniting an obsession with Grimace. Tariq’s leadership helped us to transform into a data-driven, digital business, driving growth and building new capabilities to fortify our brand into the future. His principles and his values are unwavering, and on behalf of our entire System, I want to thank Tariq for his impact and wish him and his wonderful family all the best in his next chapter.

Looking ahead, I’m excited to announce that Alyssa Buetikofer, Chief Marketing Officer of McDonald’s Canada, will return to the US business and step into the role of Senior Vice President, Chief Marketing and Customer Experience Officer of McDonald’s USA on February 15. Alyssa is a fantastic leader and will bring so much to McDonald’s USA and to our Senior Leadership Team.

For those who do not yet know her, Alyssa brings so many experiences that directly connect with our own opportunities and our long-term strategy. Be it digital or value, breakfast or beverage, loyalty programs or award-winning creative, she has built and scaled programs and delivered significant results.

She joined McDonald’s in 2011 and has held roles across three geographies and five departments, giving her a broad perspective of our brand, our customers and our commercial edge. Most recently, under Alyssa’s leadership as the Canadian market’s CMO, McDonald’s Canada launched MyMcDonald’s Rewards and expanded its menu to feature the McCrispy, Chicken Big Mac (the market’s most successful food LTO, ever) and expanded beverage options that kept McDonald’s Canada relevant against local trends. During her most recent stint on the US Marketing team, she was one of the creative minds behind launching the Famous Orders platform, which as we all know, contributed to record-breaking social engagement and drove tremendous business results. I know she will continue to elevate our brand relevance and position us to deliver on our strategy in 2025 and beyond.

During her tenure on the US Marketing team, Alyssa was widely respected as a strong partner for Owner/Operators, and as you come to know her — you’ll see why. She is a clear, thoughtful communicator and an experienced leader who truly embraces the critical role marketing plays in how we connect with our customers, inspire brand loyalty and grow our business. In my discussions with her, it’s clear she’ll fit right in on our SLT and will be a highly welcomed return to US Marketing, and I can’t wait for her to hit the ground.

A transition like this opens the door to new opportunities and gives us the space, power and motivation to continue to evolve and adapt. In recent years, we’ve upleveled our marketing approach, evolving to meet the needs of a rapidly changing landscape while staying true to the heart of our brand. This progress has been made possible in part through the bold and meticulous efforts of our marketing talent; with Alyssa re-joining our US team, I’m excited about this next phase of our marketing journey and the continued success we’ll achieve together.

Please join me in thanking Tariq for his many contributions and welcoming Alyssa back home to her new role.

Joe Erlinger

President McDonald’s USA