Robert Eckert and John Rogers, who each joined the McDonald’s board of directors on the same day in 2003, are stepping down at the same time in 2023.
The fast-food burger giant on Wednesday said that Eckert and Rogers are retiring from the board of directors as of the 2023 annual shareholders meeting. The company said their departures “are consistent with the board’s commitment to ongoing refreshment that maintains an appropriate balance of continuity and institutional knowledge with fresh perspectives among directors.”
The retirements continue a shakeup at the board of the world’s largest restaurant company. Last August, for instance, Marriott’s Tony Capuano, Johnson & Johnson’s Jennifer Taubert and Salesforce’s Amy Weaver joined the board while Sheila Penrose retired. Disney’s Kareem Daniel joined the board shortly thereafter.
Eckert and Rogers’ retirement from the board will be effective during the company’s annual shareholder meeting. The two “have made significant contributions throughout their 20 years on the board,” McDonald’s Chairman Enrique Hernandez said in a statement.
Eckert was chairman of the board’s compensation committee and helped oversee long-term strategy as chairman of the public policy and strategy committee, Hernandez said. Rogers “is a prominent leader in the Chicago and business community” who helped expand the company’s efforts “to promote equitable opportunity and diversity” for employees, franchisees and suppliers.
CEO Chris Kempczinski cited the directors’ “invaluable counsel as we’ve navigated several challenges, including the COVID pandemic and war in Ukraine.”
Eckert in a statement noted that “the world has changed significantly” during his time on the board and he is “confident that the company has the right strategy to deliver sustained long-term profitable growth.” Rogers cited McDonald’s $250 million investment to increase representation among the franchisee base and efforts to tie executive compensation with diversity.
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