McDonald’s Corp. on Tuesday said that Pete Bensen, a longtime company executive and its chief administrative officer, plans to retire on Sept. 2. The move promises further changes to the management structure at the Oak Brook, Ill.-based burger giant: The company said that it would announce “additional organizational changes in the coming weeks.”
“Throughout his career with McDonald’s, Pete has been a strategic partner, a tireless advocate and an influential contributor to our brand’s success,” McDonald’s CEO Steve Easterbrook said in a statement. “We thank him for his steadfast leadership and his valuable expertise. We know Pete has looked forward to spending more time with his family, and we wish him all the best.”
Bensen joined McDonald’s 20 years ago from Ernst & Young. He had been chief financial officer until last year, when he was named the chief administrative officer during a management shakeup that elevated Easterbrook to the CEO job. The chief administrative officer position was created for Bensen, and it wasn’t immediately clear on Tuesday whether the company would fill the role with his departure.
Bensen had been among the most visible company executives over the past two years as McDonald’s worked feverishly to reverse a three-year sales slide.
“After two decades with McDonald’s, few things mean more to me than this brand, but one of those things is family,” Bensen said in a statement. “I’m proud of the work we’ve done here at McDonald’s and, in particular, over the past 20 months. I look forward to seeing the system go even further and becoming the modern, progressive burger company we all know McDonald’s will be.”
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