The world's largest fast-food chain McDonald's Corp has appointed Don Thompson to succeed Jim Skinner at the top job, DPA reported.
Thomspon, 48, has been head of operations since 2010, and will take over as chief executive from July 1, the company said late Wednesday.
Skinner, 67, has been at the helm since 2004, and oversaw a shift towards more health-conscious menus and a range of coffee shops under the golden arches' brand.
Thompson was chief executive of the United States branch from 2006 to 2010, and steered the company clear of the worst of the economic downturn in a period during which the competition suffered.
While his predecessor came from a background of 10 years with the US Marines, Thompson arrived at the company as an engineer.
McDonald's 1.7 million employees serve an estimated 68 million customers a day from its 33,000 restaurants worldwide.