McDonald’s has terminated its chief executive officer for having a relationship with an employee, according to reports made public on Sunday.
According to the Wall Street Journal, McDonald’s board of directors voted Friday to fire Steve Easterbrook after investigating his consensual relationship with the unnamed staffer.
The British-born business executive, who became president and CEO in 2015, “violated company policy and demonstrated poor judgment involving a recent consensual relationship with an employee,” the company said.
Easterbrook resigned from the board of directors as well, and in an email to staffers on Sunday, he apologized and acknowledged the dalliance was a mistake.
“Given the values of the company, I agree with the board that it is time for me to move on,” he wrote.
Chris Kempczinski, who was recently named the president of McDonald’s USA, has now been named as the new president and CEO.
“Steve brought me into McDonald’s, and he was a patient and helpful mentor,” Kempczinski said of his predecessor.
