McDonald’s chief dies at 60
Cantalupo credited with fast food turnaround
Jim Cantalupo, chairman and chief executive of McDonald’s died of a heart attack in Florida on Monday, aged 60.
Cantalupo, who was international operations director of the fast food chain from 1974 to 2002, returned from retirement at the start of last year to spearhead a turnaround strategy for the business.
Initiatives implemented under his leadership included a slowdown in restaurant opening in favour of revamping existing outlets, and the closure of some underperforming outlets around the world.
He also oversaw a menu expansion programme that introduce a more varied choice aimed at countering criticism of the fast food industry by the healthy eating lobby.
McDonald’s appointed Australian Charlie Bell, the buisness’s 43-year-old chief operating officer, as it new chief executive officer. Bell is the company’s first non-US chief.
