News

Largest McDonald's franchisee names new CEO, COO

June 19, 2019

The world's largest independent McDonald's franchisee by sales and locations, Arcos Dorados based in Latin America and the Caribbean, said its board named 49-year-old Marcelo Rabach as CEO, beginning July 1. Rabach succeeds 55-year-old Sergio Alonso, who will remain as a member of the company's board, a news release said. 

Arcos Dorados is the largest QSR operator in Latin America and the Caribbean, with exclusive rights to own, operate and grant franchises of McDonald's restaurants in 20 Latin American and Caribbean countries and territories, including Argentina, Aruba, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Curaçao, Ecuador, French Guyana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico, St. Croix, St. Thomas, Trinidad & Tobago, Uruguay and Venezuela. It franchises more than 2,200 McDonald's-branded restaurants with more than 90,000 employees. 

"Marcelo has been our chief operating officer since August 2015 and began his career in the McDonald's system almost 30 years ago as a crew member," Arcos Dorados Executive Board Chairman Woods Staton said in the release. "He has developed a strong track record of achieving operational and financial improvements, while always maintaining a focus on excellence in customer service in all the positions he has held. With Marcelo's strong leadership and deep knowledge of our business, I am confident that we will continue to capitalize on the significant opportunities for the McDonald's brand in Latin America."

Rabach served as divisional president for the North Latin American Division of the company for two years before assuming the COO's role. In fact, he started working at the Alto Palermo location in Buenos Aires for McDonald's Argentina in 1990 and rose through the ranks to senior leadership positions spanning all four geographies of the company. 

The company also said that it named its Caribbean divisional president, Luis Raganato, to the COO's role on July 1. He also started with McDonald's Argentina in 1991, followed by a rapid ascension to senior leadership.

"Marcelo has been closely involved in setting and executing on the long-term strategy of our business, making him the right leader to move our company forward. ..." Staton said. "I would like to thank Sergio on behalf of the Board for his many years of service to the McDonald's brand and our company, Arcos Dorados."