Robert Gibbs, first-term press secretary for President Barack Obama, is heading to McDonald's as executive VP and global chief communications officer for the embattled fast-feeder.
Gibbs spent the past two years as a principal of The Incite Agency with another Obama alum, Ben LaBolt.
McDonald's CCO Bridget Coffing, a 30-year-veteran of the company, is retiring.
The Oak Brook, Ill., company announced Gibbs' hire today along with that of chief marketing officer Silvia Lagnado of Bacardi Limited and, formerly, Unilever.
The 36,000-restaurant juggernaut has struggled in recent years amid consumers' more healthful eating choices and Millennial apathy. Revenue for 2014 fell two percent to $27.4B as net income plummeted 15% to $5.6B in what then-CEO Don Thompson called a "challenging year for McDonald's around the world."
Gibbs and Lagnado report to president and CEO Steve Easterbrook, who took the reins in March. He said the new execs will bring "a wealth of experience and outside perspective" to the company as it tries to build "a more modern, progressive burger company."
Gibbs was communications director for Obama's first Senate campaign in 2004 and held that title on staff after his election and through the 2008 presidential campaign.
GolinHarris is longtime AOR for McDonald's.
Business leaders will face challenges in the upcoming year, some of which will come as a complete surprise, or beyond anyone's imagination.
Teneo has hired Philipp Grontzki, who is a 20-year veteran of corporate communications and financial journalism, as a managing director in its strategy and communications group.
Rowan Benecke, who co-founded Zeno Group and helmed Burson-Marsteller's tech practice, has joined McKinsey & Co as director of communications for North America.
BCW has named Golin's Matt Coldagelli EVP and leader of its corporate affairs practice in Chicago.
Abby Bailey, who headed corporate communications for Fedex in its Middle East, India and Africa region, has joined Teneo as managing director in Dubai.
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