McDonald’s today kicked off its international presentation to its franchisees and investors on a confident note. The company has a big idea to consolidate power for its CEO within the chain: Chief Operating Officer Steve Easterbrook. He announced that he would become the company’s president and chief executive in 2021, and extended the offer to three other members of the senior leadership team.
“Our menu is very Darwinian,” Mr. Easterbrook said.
“McDonald’s started in the kitchen, then evolved to stores and then became a unique and enduring business that began to evolve beyond just burgers and fries,” he said.
“Now we’re evolving to something else. And as we do, we’re going to listen to our customers, talk to our employees and rebuild the experience and drive the business forward. And it will help us to connect our brand to the most important fact about what makes people and communities strong: our family and our communities.”
Mr. Easterbrook’s pitch was met with resounding applause.
It came as the company announced that it had passed the 50 billion mark for global sales. The company has slowed its store opening pace, but continues to grow.