McDonald's: Charlie Bell Steps Down; Board Elects Jim Skinner CEO and Mike Roberts President & COO

Andrew J. McKenna, Chairman of the Board of Directors of McDonald's Corporation (NYSE: MCD), issued the following statement today after a meeting of the Board:

"Charlie Bell has informed us of his decision to step down immediately from his role as President and Chief Executive Officer of McDonald's to devote all of his time and energy to his courageous battle against cancer. Charlie is a remarkable leader and well loved by the McDonald's family, and we fully understand and respect his decision.

"On his behalf, he has asked me to thank everyone who is reaching out to him with thoughts and prayers. Your support and empathy are sources of inspiration and courage to Charlie, and to all of us at McDonald's.

"As a result of Charlie's decision, our Board met today to review succession plans. I am pleased to announce that Jim Skinner, currently Vice Chairman, has been elected Chief Executive Officer and a member of the Board of Directors. Additionally, the Board has elected Mike Roberts, currently CEO of McDonald's USA, to the position of President and Chief Operating Officer and a member of the Board of Directors. Roberts will report to CEO Skinner, and these management changes are effective immediately.

"In Jim Skinner, McDonald's has an outstanding leader who will continue the strategic focus established by Jim Cantalupo and Charlie Bell. In the course of his 33-year career at McDonald's, he has led every restaurant geography of the company -- and like Charlie before him, his McDonald's roots are in the details and discipline of restaurant operations and customer service.

"Mike Roberts has led a remarkable resurgence as CEO of McDonald's USA, with the U.S. on its way to a second consecutive year of double-digit operating income growth. This has energized the entire McDonald's system. In his new role, Mike will bring his energy and experienced leadership to McDonald's restaurant operations throughout the world.

"Together, Jim Skinner and Mike Roberts will provide the seasoned and innovative leadership McDonald's needs to continue our business momentum going forward. In this effort, they will benefit from our unparalleled depth of management talent in all areas of the world, as well as an established McDonald's Plan to Win -- which represents a strategic link to the business priorities established by Jim Cantalupo and Charlie Bell. They will also have the full support and confidence of our entire system of owner-operators, employees and suppliers -- a unique global alliance that keeps McDonald's strong."

Michael Roberts - President and Chief Operating Officer, McDonald's Corporation

Michael Roberts was elected McDonald's president and chief operating officer by the board of directors, effective November 22, 2004. Prior to being named president and COO, Roberts was chief executive officer of

McDonald's U.S.A., and was responsible for the company's more than 13,000 restaurants in the United States.

Roberts previously served as president of McDonald's USA - and before that, president, West Division, for McDonald's U.S.A, responsible for the more than 2,500 McDonald's restaurants in the Western United States.

Roberts began his career with McDonald's as a regional purchasing manager in 1977. He became assistant vice president of U.S. purchasing in 1983. In 1987, he joined the operations department, and in 1989, was named assistant vice president, district manager in McDonald's Los Angeles Region, a position he held until he was named vice president of environmental affairs in 1990.

In 1995, he was named regional vice president for the Chicago North Region. The next year, he served as vice president of field operations and was then promoted to zone manager.

He has served as an advisory director to McDonald's board of directors and as a board member to several children's charitable organizations. He's also on the Board of Trustees of Providence-St. Mel - a 650-student K-12, independently run school on Chicago's West Side that consistently produces top caliber, inner-city scholars.

A native of Chicago, Roberts received his bachelor's degree in sociology from Loyola University in Chicago.

Jim Skinner - Chief Executive Officer, McDonald's Corporation

Jim Skinner was elected McDonald's chief executive officer by the board of directors, effective November 22, 2004. Prior to becoming CEO, Skinner was vice chairman of McDonald's Corporation. As vice chairman, Skinner had management oversight of Asia, the Middle East and Africa (AMEA), and Latin America, in addition to overseeing all corporate staff functions.

Since the beginning of 2004, he had assumed responsibility for McDonald's Japan Limited, McDonald's second-largest market with almost 4,000 restaurants.

Skinner held numerous leadership positions in his tenure with the corporation. Before becoming vice chairman, he served as president and chief operating officer of the McDonald's Restaurant Group, with operating accountability for the company's more than 30,000 McDonald's restaurants in 118 countries.

Prior to that, Skinner served as president and chief operating officer of McDonald's - Europe/Asia/Pacific and Middle East, with management responsibilities for the nearly 12,500 restaurants operating in those geographic sectors.

From 1997 to 2001, Skinner was president of McDonald's Europe. Before that, he was executive vice president and international relationship partner for Central Europe, Middle East, Africa, and India from 1995 to 1997.

He joined McDonald's International management team in 1992 as senior vice president and relationship partner, overseeing McDonald's development in Central Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and India.

Skinner began his career with McDonald's in 1971 as a restaurant manager trainee in Carpentersville, IL. He advanced quickly and held numerous positions in the U.S. company, including director of field operations, market manager, regional vice president and U.S. senior vice president/zone manager.

In addition, he has twice served as an advisory director to McDonald's Corporation's board of directors and currently serves on the board of Ronald McDonald House Charities.

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SOURCE: McDonald's Corporation

CONTACT: Walt Riker of McDonald's Corporation, +1-630-623-7318

Web site: http://www.mcdonalds.com/