McDonald’s has begun its reorganization with the recruitment of two senior-level executives from other industries: Silvia Lagnado, who joins as global CMO, and Robert Gibbs, who comes aboard as global chief communications officer.
Both also carry the title of EVP and report directly to CEO Steve Easterbrook.
Lagnado joins McDonald’s from Bacardi, the spirits company, where she plotted the marketing strategies for several brands. Earlier, she spent 20 years with Unilever, the diversified consumer-products giant.
Gibbs was the spokesman for Barack Obama during his successful presidential campaign and first term in the White House. He later served as a special advisor to the President.
More recently, he served as a media consultant at The Incite Agency, a firm he co-founded after leaving the White House.
In his new role, Gibbs will be responsible for McDonald’s internal and external communications, as well as government relations.
Easterbrook praised the two as “highly-respected, talented leaders who will bring a wealth of experience and outside perspective to McDonald's as we build a more modern, progressive burger company.
"Returning excitement to our business proposition and brand is foundational to our turnaround plan, and Robert and Silvia—with their respective teams—will play critical roles in bringing this strategy to life."
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