McDonald's European president leaving post

OAK BROOK, Ill. (AP) — McDonald's Corp. said Tuesday that the president of its European division is leaving to join privately held Gondola Group.

The world's biggest hamburger chain said that in his new role Steve Easterbrook will serve as CEO of Gondola's PizzaExpress, a pizza restaurant based in the United Kingdom.

Easterbrook, 44, has worked at McDonald's for 18 years. He will leave his position as president of McDonald's Europe effective Sept. 30.

Easterbrook will be succeeded by Doug Goare, who currently serves as executive vice president of McDonald's global supply chain and real estate development. Goare, 59, will take on his new post on Oct. 1.

He will be responsible for overseeing more than 7,000 McDonald's in 40 European countries.

Jose Armario, group president of McDonald's Canada and Latin America, will succeed Goare as executive vice president of global supply chain, real estate development and franchising. In his new role, Armario, 52, will be responsible for McDonald's procurement of food, packaging and premiums, worldwide purchasing and supplier relationships and food safety and quality systems strategy. He will also head efforts to develop locations for McDonald's around the world.

Goare and Armario will both continue to report to McDonald's President and Chief Operating Officer Don Thompson.

Earlier this month McDonald's reported that a key revenue metric climbed 5.1 percent in July, buoyed by ongoing strength abroad and customers snapping up its McCafe beverage and staples like Chicken McNuggets.

In July McDonald's reported a 15 percent increase in second-quarter net income as it continued to entice customers to buy new menu items.

McDonald's, based in Oak Brook, Ill., has more than 33,000 restaurants in more than 100 countries. Its stock fell 60 cents to $86.22 in afternoon trading.