Managing McDonald’s Makeover

31 Aug 2016

Managing McDonald’s Makeover

Re: Chris Kempczinski (MBA 1997)

Topics: Leadership-Leadership Style Food and Beverage-Food Leadership-Leading Change Operations-Service Delivery

(McDonald's)

McDonald’s has a new head of US operations: Chris Kempczinski (MBA 1997).

The former Kraft executive takes over effective January 1, and comes, according to the Associated Press, a year after new McDonald’s CEO Steve Easterbrook took over and set about the work of ensuring that the iconic brand is “keeping pace with changing tastes and habits.”

The move was reportedly unexpected, given McDonald’s history of promoting from internal ranks. (Kempczinski was brought on last year.)

In quickly tapping a relative newcomer to the company to replace Andres, CEO Steve Easterbrook is showing his desire to bring fresh blood into a company that traditionally has promoted almost solely from within.

Easterbrook, though, praised Kempczinski’s immediate impact:

"Mike has done a great job to get this business back on track," CEO Steve Easterbrook said in an interview Wednesday. "He has poured his heart and soul into this business, and cultivated some really strong relationships."

Easterbrook would go on to say about Kempczinski that it’s “rare to find a leader that's both a strong strategic thinker and has the operational mindset to get things done… It’s a prerequisite for building the McDonald's we want to have."

[Editor's note: For more on Kempczinski's rise, read "Happy Meals (Are Here Again)" from November 2017.]

Featured Alumni

Chris Kempczinski

MBA 1997

Featured Alumni

Chris Kempczinski

MBA 1997

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Re: Chris Kempczinski (MBA 1997)
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Re: Chris Kempczinski (MBA 1997); Kristy Cunningham (MBA 1998); Morgan Flatley (MBA 2004); By: Dan Morrell; photographed by Saverio Truglia

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