McDonald’s in shake up as Europe boss swaps fries for pizza
MCDONALD’S European president Steve Easterbrook (pictured) has left the company to become chief executive of Pizza Express, after 18 years at the fast food giant.
Easterbrook will join the Gondola Group – parent company of the Pizza Express, Zizzi and Ask restaurants – from October, replacing former chief executive Mark Angela at the helm of its 384-branch pizza chain.
Easterbrook’s departure means a shake-up of McDonald’s existing management structure, with its executive vice president of global supply chain and real estate development Doug Goare taking on the Europe job at the end of next month.
He will be responsible for overseeing more than 7,000 McDonald’s in 40 European countries.
Goare will in turn be replaced by Jose Armario, currently group president of McDonald’s Canada and Latin America.
Easterbrook’s appointment at Pizza Express will see Gondola’s chief executive Harvey Smyth return to his day job, having taken on responsibility for the restaurant group after Angela’s departure in early July.