McDonald’s has appointed Skye Anderson, a 26-year company veteran, as president of McDonald’s USA, according to a press release. Anderson, who has been COO of McDonald’s USA since April, took on her new role effective Tuesday.
Her appointment comes as Joseph Erlinger, who has led the U.S. business for seven years, announced his intention to step down from the role, according to a securities filing.
The leadership shake-up occurs as the company reported disappointing Q2 results for its U.S. operations. While McDonald’s saw strong execution, menu changes, and creative marketing lead to fiscal second-quarter results in line with expectations in international markets, the U.S. business slowed significantly, said Chris Kempczinski, McDonald’s CEO.
U.S. comparable sales growth slid to 0.8% in the quarter, despite starting the year off strong, Kempczinski said. “We don’t have a strategy problem,” he added. “We simply didn’t execute at the level we needed to in the second quarter.”
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Ian Borden, CFO, said the company has been working to simplify restaurant operations by cutting some activities so that restaurant teams can better focus. “In short, we’re acting with urgency to improve our baseline guest traffic and put the U.S. business in a stronger position as we exit 2026,” Borden said.
Anderson, a chartered accountant, was a business analyst at Deloitte Australia early in her career before joining McDonald’s in 2000 to serve as operations controller. She later served as CFO of McDonald’s Australia for nearly three years, according to her LinkedIn profile.
Anderson has held multiple roles within the company, including CFO of McDonald’s Australia. Her experience and background are expected to help her tackle the challenges facing the U.S. market.
Kempczinski expressed confidence in Anderson’s ability to lead the U.S. business, saying “Throughout her career, she has consistently been a hands-on leader who has demonstrated strong business judgment and operational discipline. Skye is a change agent driving positive performance.”
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The U.S. market has been a challenging one for McDonald’s, with sales growth slowing significantly in the second quarter. However, with Anderson at the helm, the company is hoping to turn things around and improve its performance in the region.
As the company looks to simplify restaurant operations and improve guest traffic, Anderson’s experience and leadership will be essential in driving positive change. With her background in finance and operations, she is well-positioned to tackle the challenges facing the U.S. business.
The company is focused on executing its strategy and improving its performance in the U.S. market. With Anderson leading the charge, McDonald’s is hoping to regain its footing and drive growth in the region.
