McDonald's Appoints Interim CMO and CCO After Buetikofer Exit

McDonald's has appointed interim leaders to fill key marketing and creative roles following Alyssa Buetikofer's departure. Alyssa Buetikofer, chief marketing and customer experience officer of McDonald’s USA, will leave the company next month after 15 years with the brand, less than two years into her top U.S. role. Her exit triggers a split of the top U.S. marketing duties and occurs as the company handles a new strategic plan and a recent dip in domestic sales.

Buetikofer succeeded Tariq Hassan as U.S. CMO in February 2025, after Hassan left for a role at Wendy's. During her tenure, she oversaw the return of Snack Wraps and the Monopoly promotion, the launch of a new beverage platform, and a successful Grinch collaboration. She will remain with McDonald’s through December 18 to support the transition. The company has now begun a search for a permanent U.S. chief marketing officer.

Strategic Context and Performance

The leadership transition unfolds as McDonald's executes its 'McDonald's > Next' strategy, which emphasizes improved food, experience, and personalized offers using loyalty data. This shift includes aiming to reduce promotional clutter and focus on fewer, larger marketing platforms. The changes also follow the end of McDonald's 32-year FIFA World Cup sponsorship after the summer tournament, a campaign that reportedly failed to meet expectations.

The company's latest performance shows a mixed picture. While global comparable sales increased 1.5%, U.S. same-store sales declined 0.2% in the third quarter. This dip was attributed to cutbacks to app-based deals and insufficient value offers for lower-income diners. Sales showed improvement after McDonald's restored some value offers in September.

New Interim Appointments

McDonald's has divided the leadership responsibilities on an interim basis. Morgan Flatley, the global chief marketing officer and head of new business ventures, will take on the additional role of interim U.S. chief creative officer. Flatley, who previously served as U.S. chief marketing and digital customer experience officer from 2017 to 2021, was a driving force behind the 'Fan Truths' strategy and 'Famous Orders' collaborations.

Charlie Newberger will serve as interim senior vice president, U.S. chief marketing and commercial officer. A 17-year veteran at McDonald's, Newberger has experience across operations, field marketing, and global beverage strategy. His new remit includes oversight of OPNAD and Owner/Operator engagement.

With Newberger moving to his interim role, Danica Cunningham will become the interim category leader for Global Beverages & Desserts. Cunningham currently leads Strategy & Planning for that category and has over a decade of experience in U.S. field marketing. Morgan Flatley has indicated that McDonald's will continue investing in sports and culture but with a greater emphasis on creating distinctive brand experiences. The interim structure places Flatley in dual global and U.S. creative leadership while Newberger handles core marketing and commercial operations.