McDonald's Corporation Announces Management Changes and Promotions

McDonald's Chief Executive Officer Jim Skinner today announced several key management changes and promotions effective immediately.

"These organizational changes and promotions capitalize on our deep bench of worldwide management talent," Skinner said. "They will further drive the progress we are making behind McDonald's Plan to Win by increasing focus on the strategic drivers of our business, establishing more clear lines of management responsibility and accountability, and increasing efficiencies in greater support of our restaurants and customers."

  McDonald's announced the following:

   -- Marvin Whaley, President of McDonald's Asia, Middle East, and Africa,
      has announced his plans to retire at the end of this year after 32
      years of service.

   -- Tim Fenton, President, East Division, McDonald's USA, promoted to
      President, McDonald's Asia, Pacific, Middle East, and Africa.

   -- Ralph Alvarez, President of McDonald's USA, promoted to President,
      McDonald's North America, with responsibility for McDonald's USA and
      McDonald's Canada.

   -- Jeff Stratton, McDonald's USA's Chief Operations Officer, promoted to
      Executive Vice President of the Restaurant Solutions Group.

   -- Don Thompson, Executive Vice President of the Restaurant Solutions
      Group, promoted to Executive Vice President and Chief Operations
      Officer, McDonald's USA.

Skinner said, "Marvin Whaley has decided to retire at the end of this year after 32 years of illustrious service to brand McDonald's and our customers. He has been instrumental in our development throughout Asia, and China in particular, one of our highest priorities and most important markets. Under his leadership, McDonald's Asia, Middle East and Africa had one of their best years in 2004. We have benefited greatly from his vision, tireless dedication and leadership over the years. We are especially grateful that he has agreed to work on projects through year-end to ensure a smooth transition. While this is a great loss for our system, it is also an opportunity to recognize the achievements of Tim Fenton.

"Going forward, we will capitalize on Tim's rich system experience as he assumes the post of President, McDonald's Asia, Pacific, Middle East and Africa. In this role, Tim will oversee our restaurants in APMEA, which now includes Australia and New Zealand. He will begin his new role uniquely qualified given his prior experience as Senior Vice President of Southeast Asia, Middle East and Africa. Moreover, I am sure we will benefit from his recent experience as President of the East Division of McDonald's USA. Tim will report to Mike Roberts, President and Chief Operating Officer, McDonald's Corporation.

"To build on the synergies between the U.S. and Canadian businesses, we are further aligning them under McDonald's North America. Ralph Alvarez will serve as President, McDonald's North America, and will work closely with Bill Johnson, Chairman, President and CEO, McDonald's Restaurants of Canada Limited, to leverage their wealth of system and industry experience. Ralph was instrumental in revitalizing McDonald's USA, and has a long track record of operations success. He will continue to report to Mike Roberts.

"Jeff Stratton brings 30 years of experience to his new role as Executive Vice President of the Restaurant Solutions Group. In his most recent assignment as Chief Operations Officer for McDonald's USA, Jeff led the development and implementation of the Restaurant Operations Improvement Process (ROIP), which has significantly improved restaurant operations. Jeff will also report to Mike Roberts.

"I'd like to thank Don Thompson for his accomplished leadership in the Restaurant Solutions Group. We are promoting Don to Executive Vice President and Chief Operations Officer of the U.S. business. Prior to this current role, Don served as President, West Division, McDonald's USA. He will report to Ralph Alvarez, President of McDonald's North America.

"McDonald's has made good progress under our revitalization plan and I am confident that these organizational changes will continue our momentum and move us even closer to our goal of sustained, profitable growth for McDonald's System and shareholders," Skinner said.

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SOURCE: McDonald's Corporation

CONTACT: Investors, Mary Kay Shaw, +1-630-623-7559, or Media, Anna
Rozenich, +1-630-623-7316, both of McDonald's Corporation

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