McDonald’s on Monday said that it added Catherine Engelbert, the first commissioner for the Women’s National Basketball Association, to its board of directors.
Catherine Engelbert
The 55-year-old oversees day-to-day operations for the league and is focusing on growing its business. She was named to that position in July after four years as CEO of accounting firm Deloitte, where she was the first woman to lead a Big Four professional services firm.
Enrique Hernandez, McDonald’s chairman, called Engelbert an “exceptional leader with a track record of guiding organizations to strength and success.”
“McDonald’s will benefit from her fresh perspectives, strong operational experience, and broad financial expertise,” he added, saying her election “underscores our commitment to diversity at all levels, from the crew room to the board room.”
Engelbert’s election to the board, which was effective on Dec. 6, comes just weeks after the Chicago-based burger giant unexpectedly fired CEO Steve Easterbrook over what the company said was an improper consensual relationship with an employee. Chris Kempczinski was tabbed to replace him.
Engelbert is on the board of directors for Catalyst, a nonprofit organization that works to accelerate women in leadership. She is also a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and serves on New York City’s Board of Partnership.
She called McDonald’s a “well-known and admired global brand with a rich legacy of modernizing itself to meet ever-changing societal needs and expectations.”
Members help make our journalism possible. Become a Restaurant Business member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.