Easterbrook To Lead McDonald’s Europe

Steve Easterbrook has been named president of McDonald’s Europe. Easterbrook, who currently serves as executive v.p. and global chief brand officer, will assume his new post Dec. 1. The 16-year company veteran became CEO of McDonald’s United Kingdom in April 2006 and president of Europe’s northern division—including Scandinavia and Ireland—the following January. He succeeds Denis Hennequin, who is leaving Nov. 30 to become CEO of the Accor Hotels Group.

Easterbook will oversee operations of more than 6,800 McDonald’s units in 39 European countries; he’ll report to company president and CEO Don Thompson. No successor for the global chief brand officer post has been announced.

Easterbrook takes the reins in Europe during a period of strong sales growth for the Oak Brook, Ill., chain. In October, European stores led comparable-store sales growth at 5.8%; the U.S. reported comparable sales growth of 5.6%; and in Asia/Pacific, Middle East and Africa, sales rose 5.3%.