Charlie Bell

Charles Hamilton "Charlie" Bell AO (7 November 196017 January 2005) was an Australian business executive. He served as president of the American-based fast-food chain McDonald's from December 2002, and additionally as chief executive officer from April to November 2004. Bell was the first non-American and the youngest person to hold that position. Career Bell grew up in Sydney, Australia, and attended Marcellin College Randwick. Bell began his career at McDonald's when he was 15 in 1976, working at the Kingsford restaurant in Sydney earning $3.55 an hour. Bell was on the bus home when he met a friend on the way to apply for a job at the restaurant, Bell went with him and got the job, his friend missed out. Peter Ritchie, the first managing director of McDonald's Australia said of him "He was ready to tell us how the place should have been run from 15 onwards". Bell was assistant manager at 18, and at 19, he became the youngest store manager in McDonald's Australia. At age 29 he was on the board of the Australian subsidiary as a marketing manager, becoming its managing director at 33. He quickly rose through the ranks of corporate McDonald's. When Bell was asked if he would like to be CEO, Bell responded: "I take every job at McDonald's like it's going to be my last. If I die in this job, I will be very happy.". Bell was appointed president and chief operating officer, when Jim Cantalupo (former McDonald's International CEO) returned to the company on 1 January 2003 as chairman and CEO of corporate McDonald's to lead a turnaround effort. Under Cantalupo's predecessor Jack M. Greenberg, the company suffered earnings declines in each of the last seven-quarters. Shareholders were initially not impressed with Cantalupo and Bell's appointments as it suggested that the company was "inbred".