Dive Brief:
- McDonald's has named its first ever VP of digital for the U.S.—Julia Vander Ploeg from Ticketmaster's Resale division.
- Vander Ploeg's appointment is part of McDonald's overall strategy to strengthen its digital presence and improve declining sales.
- The fast food chain is under pressure from Wall Street to improve sales that have been declining since 2012.
Dive Insight:
Vander Ploeg is the third major executive hired that is a McDonald's outsider. Typically the chain promotes from within, but declining sales meant the brand is looking to shake things up. It's not clear exactly what influence Vander Ploeg will have at the corporation, but new blood could be what McDonald's needs.