McDonald’s boss fired for relationship with employee
The chief executive of McDonald’s has been fired for violating a company policy by dating an employee.
British-born boss Steve Easterbrook has left the fast food chain after demonstrating “poor judgement”, McDonald’s said on Sunday.
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In an email to staff, Easterbrook acknowledged he had struck up a relationship with an employee, calling it a “mistake”.
Easterbrook, who is divorced, added: “Given the values of the company, I agree with the board that it is time for me to move on.”
Easterbrook worked his way up the US food giant since joining in 1993, having taken on the role of chief executive in 2015.
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During Easterbrook’s tenure the share price of McDonald’s more than doubled in value, giving the ousted boss $15.9m (£12.3m) in pay last year.
However, shares in the chain edged down last month after McDonald’s missed Wall Street expectations in its latest quarterly report.
Fierce competition pushed same-store sales below estimates in the firm’s home US market.
The company posted its 17th consecutive quarter of growth nonetheless.