Laurie Morgan quits role as McDonald's UK chief

by Drew Barrand, Marketing 27-Jun-06, 12:00

LONDON - McDonald's UK chief marketing officer Laurie Morgan is understood to be leaving the company.

According to insiders, Morgan, who has been in the role since February last year, is in talks with the fast-food giant regarding a severance package after provisionally agreeing to terminate her employment.

Morgan was due to return to work at the beginning of this month following maternity leave, but her absence has been extended until an agreement has been finalised.

Last month's appointment of former British Airways marketing chief Jill McDonald as senior vice-president, chief marketing officer for northern Europe during Morgan's absence (Marketing, 17 May) is believed to have been the catalyst for her exit.

McDonald was handed a board-level role at the firm, meaning that Morgan would have reported to her upon her return.

The departure of Peter Beresford from his post as UK chief executive earlier this year is also thought to have had an impact on Morgan's status within McDonald's, as he had been responsible for her rise up the ranks. Beresford promoted Morgan to her current role following the departure of former UK marketing chief John Hawkes; however, her promotion never included duties on the board.

With Dominic Rowell also in the McDonald's team as UK head of marketing, it is widely believed that the European marketing team had become overstaffed.

McDonald's refused to confirm Morgan's departure, stating only that she was still away on maternity leave.

The UK arm of McDonald's has been underper-forming of late. In March, it announced that it was looking to address the dated image of its outlets in the face of flagging UK sales by spending £140m on a refurbishment campaign, under the guidance of incoming UK chief executive Steve Easterbrook.

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