Jack M. Greenberg, chairman and CEO of McDonald’s Corporation, promoted Jim Skinner to president and COO of the McDonald’s Restaurant Group, with operating accountability for the company’s more than 29,000 hamburger restaurants in 121 countries. He will report directly to Greenberg.
“Jim Skinner has thirty-one years of invaluable global operations experience, and has a unique understanding of our customers and restaurants,” Greenberg said. “At the same time, he is a respected international business executive who has successfully led McDonald’s restaurant teams in every corner of the world. He is tough, fair, and decisive, and completely deserving of these new responsibilities.
“In elevating Jim to this new position, we are emphasizing the importance of a single line of leadership to keep our global management teams focused on our critical business objectives, and recognizing Jim’s unique ability to get the job done. This global alignment translates to a relentless focus on the hallmarks of McDonald’s— quality, service, cleanliness, and value, and continued business growth.”
Prior to his promotion, Skinner was president and COO of the Europe, Asia/Pacific, and Middle East restaurant operating groups.
As part of this management change, Alan Feldman, who agreed last year to remain at McDonald’s through the completion of the U.S. reorganization, has resigned as president and COO of The Americas to pursue other career opportunities.
“We appreciate Alan’s leadership in the U.S. business, and most recently in Latin America and Canada,” said Greenberg. “He has made many significant contributions to McDonald’s and we wish him well.”
Under this single line of leadership for McDonald’s core hamburger business, the company’s key geographic presidents—Claire Babrowski in Asia/Pacific and the Middle East, Charlie Bell in Europe, Pat Donahue in Canada, Mike Roberts in
the United States, and Ed Sanchez in Latin America—will now report to Skinner.
“I’m honored to take on this important responsibility, and excited to partner with the outstanding executives who lead our geographic businesses,” Skinner said in the announcement. “Together, we will lead through action—the kind of action that promotes customer satisfaction, builds brand loyalty, and grows the McDonald’s system. We have one of the greatest brands in the world, and we will stay completely focused on growing our business for the benefit of our customers, our shareholders, and our McDonald’s family.”
Skinner joined McDonald’s in 1971 as a restaurant manager trainee, and proceeded to serve in a number of U.S. operations roles, including director of field operations, market manager, regional vice president, and zone vice president.
In 1992, he joined McDonald’s International, where he oversaw development of Central Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, and in 1997 was named president of the Europe Group.
