Singapore – Eugene Lee, who was most recently the international chief marketing officer (IDL) at McDonald’s, has announced his departure from the company after spending 15 years with it.
In a LinkedIn post, Eugene stated that it is time to step out of his comfort zone and explore a world beyond McDonald’s, using the skills he has learnt at this brand to build new things.
“I still remember my very first campaign as a young Marketing Executive – the 2009 Coke Glasses, and the excitement of seeing customers lining up for it at the restaurants. Who would have thought this Malaysian would eventually end up leading Marketing for 80x markets across the globe, spanning Latin America, Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia as International CMO,” he stated.
He added, “When I reflect on my time with the brand, I realize that it’s the genuine relationships I’ve built with my teams that I’ll miss the most.”
In a quick conversation with MARKETECH APAC, Eugene reflected on his 15-year journey with McDonald’s, stating, “Over my 15-years, whether it was my days as a young marketing executive, or during my time as International CMO, I’ve learnt that “People will forget what you tell them, but they will never forget how you made them feel”. And this applies the most to marketing, where it isn’t about shouting about how cheap, how great, or how amazing your product is… it’s about making them feel something to create an impact.”
When asked for his reason for stepping down, Eugene noted that as he had just turned 40 in December, and after careful reflection, 15 years with a brand is a long time. At a personal level, he opened up how his prolonged travels was taking toll on his personal time with his family.
“I’m excited to be taking some time off for now to spend with family and friends, and be thoughtful about my next step. I’m [also] excited to explore different industries – especially my own passion points like e-sports, music or automotive,” he stated.
Prior to his international role, Eugene served as the regional chief marketing offcer at McDonald’s, and was responsible for the regional rollout of the highly-anticipated BTS x McDonald’s collaboration in April 2021.
Eugene joined the global fast-food chain in 2009 as a senior marketing executive, and has rose to the ranks over time, until he took on the role of marketing director for Malaysia in 2016. He was then promoted to senior director of marketing, strategy & insights in 2019 and then to regional director of marketing and menu for Asia in 2020.
