TOP DOWN

McDonald’s Head of HR Is Out After CEO Fired for Inappropriate Relationship

The company has not said whether his departure was related to the firing of CEO Steve Easterbrook on Sunday.

McDonald’s top human resources executive has left the fast-food giant one day after the company’s former CEO was fired over his relationship with a subordinate. Known as the company’s “chief people officer,” David Fairhurt left the company on Monday, according to McDonald’s, which did not say whether his departure was related to the firing of CEO Steve Easterbrook on Sunday. Eastbrook was fired for having a consensual relationship with an employee, which is a violation of company policy. As part of his severance agreement, Easterbrook will receive 26 weeks of pay, but gives up millions in unvested stock options and is not allowed to work for a competitor for two years, according to a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Easterbrook was paid $15.9 million in 2018, $1.3 million of which came from salary and the rest from stock options and incentive payments.