McDonald’s names Annabel Fribence as new CMO; Chris Brown to step down after over four years

McDonald’s Australia has today announced that after four and a half years at the Golden Arches, Chris Brown (above right) has decided to step aside from his role with McDonald’s Australia to explore new opportunities. He will be leaving the business in May. With Brown’s departure, Annabel Fribence (above left) will rejoin McDonald’s Australia as Chief Marketing Officer.

Brown joined McDonald’s Australia in December 2020 as CMO before being promoted to Chief Customer Officer in May 2022, overseeing Marketing, McCafé, and CX. Prior to McDonald’s, he was SVP and Group Managing Director at R/GA New York, leading transformation work for clients like Samsung, Amex and J&J. He also served as President and CEO of DDB New York, winning major accounts including Heineken and Time Warner Cable, with the agency named Ad Age’s 2018 Agency to Watch.

Before moving to the U.S., Brown was Group CEO of DDB Group Australia, driving integration across DDB, RAPP, TRIBAL, Mango and DDB Remedy. Under his leadership, the group secured major wins like Telstra, Westpac and Tourism Australia, and collected accolades across advertising, PR, digital and experiential. His work has earned international recognition at Cannes, D&AD, One Show, IPA, and AFA Effectiveness awards.

Over the past four and a half years, Brown’s creative and strategic leadership has helped the business grow significantly and achieve the brand’s highest ever equity scores. His culture-first mindset has seen the launch of the first ever Australian Famous order with the Kid Laroi, new menu innovations including bringing The Grimace Shake and the McCripsy to Australia, Cannes award-winning campaigns for the Big Mac ‘Original Mouthful’, numerous Effies and iconic partnerships with Peter Alexander, the AFL and Squid Game.

In addition, Brown’s customer-centric approach has been instrumental in launching the MyMacca’s Rewards program, which has become one of Australia’s most popular loyalty programs, re-launching McCafé, leading to selling 1 in 4 coffees across Australia, and driving McDonald’s value credentials with consumers through the successful re-launch of the Loose Change Menu and the unbeatable McSmart Meal.

Says Brown: “I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at Macca’s and it’s been one hell of a ride!  We’ve achieved significant success and launched new platforms and capabilities. The plan is strong, the future is bright, and it is now the right time for me to move on to the next challenge. I wish Joe and Annabel all the very best.”

McDonald’s Australia CEO and MD Joe Chiczewski says: “Chris has had a significant impact on our brand over the past four and a half years, and while I am disappointed I will not have the opportunity to continue to partner with him, I am incredibly grateful for the legacy that he leaves behind.

“With Chris’s departure, I am excited to welcome Annabel Fribence back to the McDonald’s family. In getting to know Annabel, it was clear that her creative capability and her customer-centric and strategic mindset will serve us well.”

Fribence first worked at McDonald’s Australia between 2009 – 2011 and was responsible for the Family and Happy Meal portfolio. Since her first stint at McDonald’s, Fribence’s experiences driving consumer value credentials, brand culture and world-class creative campaigns at brands, including KFC and Westpac, will set her up well to support McDonald’s long-term ambitions.

During Fribence’s nine years at KFC across Australia and Asia, she consistently drove sales and guest count growth through a powerful core menu and value strategy. Fribence led the launch of the infamous “Shut up and Take My Money” campaign, driving brand love with key consumer groups and increasing sales and transaction volumes.

Most recently, Fribence served as Chief Marketing Officer at Westpac Group, where she was responsible for brands, including Westpac, St George, Bank of Melbourne and Bank SA. During her tenure, Fribence integrated Westpac into culture through partnerships with the NRL, NRLW, the Blues, and Maroons, enabling Westpac to connect with Australians in exciting new ways. Fribence’s focus on data, analytics and team performance delivered strong momentum, making Westpac one of Australia’s most recognisable brands.  While Fribence thoroughly enjoyed her time at Westpac, her  passion lies in the fast-moving retail and consumer spaces, and she simply couldn’t pass up the opportunity to rejoin the McDonald’s family.

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