McDonald’s Corp. announced that Steve Easterbrook will return to the company’s Oak Brook, Ill.-based headquarters as global chief brand officer, a role he held from August 2010 until the following November when he was named president of McDonald’s Europe.
Prior to his first stint as chief brand officer, which oversees marketing, menu development and consumer insights for McDonald’s in all its areas of the world, Easterbrook had been chief executive of McDonald’s U.K. and Northern Europe.
In his second time as chief brand officer, he replaces Kevin Newell, who succeeded Easterbrook as global chief brand officer but recently took a newly created position of U.S. chief brand and strategy officer.
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Easterbrook left McDonald’s in August 2011, nine months into the job as president of the European division, to become chief executive of international restaurant brand Pizza Express. He later became chief executive of Wagamama Ltd.
“I’m excited to return to McDonald’s and lead a talented team at one of the world’s most iconic brands,” he said in a statement. “I look forward to engaging customers in new brand experiences while driving the business.”
The United Kingdom native will report directly to chief executive Don Thompson.
“[Easterbrook] has demonstrated dynamic leadership and creative thinking within the restaurant industry and throughout his previous career at McDonald’s,” Thompson said in a statement. “I’m thrilled to welcome him back to the Golden Arches and confident that with his expertise, we will reach customers in new and innovative ways.”
McDonald’s Corp. operates or franchises more than 34,000 quick-service restaurants around the world, including more than 14,000 in the United States.
Contact Mark Brandau at [email protected]
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