Dive Brief:
- McDonald’s has chosen Brian Rice to serve on its global senior leadership team as EVP and global CIO, reporting directly to CEO Chris Kempczinski, the restaurant chain announced Monday.
- After five years with McDonald’s, former global CIO, Daniel Henry, announced in April that he would be leaving the company. Under Henry, the company scaled innovations – such as AI in drive-thru settings – and increased standardization and speed.
- Rice has a long history as a global technology decision maker, including stints at Cardinal Health, Kellogg Company and General Motors.
Dive Insight:
Rice’s arrival comes a month after the company named a new CFO and global chief supply chain officer. In the past year, McDonald's also created new roles related to data analytics and digital customer engagement.
McDonald’s has heavily invested in technology in the past but has struggled with whether to outsource or prioritize in-house tech resources. Last year, the fast-food chain announced IBM would acquire its McD Tech Labs. The sale was followed by another similar move earlier this year in which McDonald’s sold its AI company, Dynamic Yield, to Mastercard.
As market uncertainty grows, many businesses are turning to technology to optimize business operations. Despite an effort to invest in AI and automation, the future of the company’s technology is not certain, especially as inflation, supply chain and labor shortages threaten its stability.
