McDonald's makes changes in 3 management posts

Oak Brook-based McDonald's made a change in its corporate menu late Tuesday, replacing three key executives as part of its strategy to reverse declining U.S. sales.

The company named Morgan Flatley as U.S. chief marketing officer, Farhan Siddiqi as head of U.S. digital, and Linda VanGosen as head of U.S. menu. They respectively replace Deborah Wahl, Lance Richards and Julia Vander Ploeg, who are all leaving the company.

The new executives are expected to begin by the end of the month, the company said in a release.

“This is an exciting time for McDonald's as we continue to raise the bar on how we prepare and source our food, offer our customers more modern experiences and redefine convenience through new initiatives like delivery and mobile ordering and pay,” said McDonald's U.S. President Chris Kempczinski.

The global fast food giant, under the leadership of CEO Steve Easterbrook, has been refocusing its menu and service strategies after recording four straight years of declining guest counts at its U.S. restaurants. Among the changes the company has made to be more relevant in the industry are the all-day breakfast menu and making its popular Quarter Pounder sandwiches with fresh beef, instead of frozen.

McDonald's has also committed itself to be more aggressive in marketing coffee and pastries, and will offer mobile order-and-pay by the end of the year. Easterbrook told investors last month the company is also looking into food delivery.

Flatley comes to the company from PepsiCo, where she was chief marketing officer of global nutrition. Kempczinski said she will lead integrated marketing plans to drive growth for McDonald's U.S. business while expanding and strengthening partnerships with franchisees and suppliers.

Siddiqi previously served as vice president of global digital experience at McDonald's, overseeing digital functions including global product strategy, design, innovation and business development. He will also be responsible for delivering and managing digital solutions for the U.S. that increase customer engagement and drive sales through digital channels. Before joining McDonald's in 2016, he held several executive positions at Bank of America, Target, and General Electric.

VanGosen was previously a vice president at Starbucks, where she was responsible for the overall vision and strategic growth plans for Starbucks Evenings. VanGosen will oversee U.S. menu innovation and development, working closely with the McDonald's culinary team, Kempczinski said.