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David is the Chief People Officer at McDonald’s Europe and has enjoyed a rich and varied career in Human Resources.
After joining Lucas Industries as a Graduate Trainee, David became the youngest Group Manager at H J Heinz, European Director of Recruitment and Leadership Planning for SmithKline Beecham, and Corporate HR Director for Tesco.
In May 2005 David joined McDonald’s Restaurants as Vice President of People – the first time McDonald’s had appointed a HR professional at this level in the UK.
In January 2007 he was promoted to Senior Vice President, Chief People Officer (Northern Europe) with responsibility for HR, Training, Education, Customer Services and Environment.
In January 2011 he was further promoted to the newly created position of Chief People Officer, Europe with responsibility for all People strategies and practices for more than 6,900 restaurants employing over 375,000 people in 39 countries.
David is a Chartered Companion of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development where he is currently serving as its Vice President of Learning, Training and Development. He is the Chairman of People 1st; a Fellow of the RSA; a Fellow of Lancaster University Business School; Chair of the Advisory Board to the Centre for Professional Personnel and Development (CPPD); and a Fellow of the Sunningdale Institute – a virtual academy of leading academics and thought leaders created to advise and advance public service.
In 2007 David was awarded an honorary Doctorate in Business Administration by Manchester Metropolitan University Business School, where he is a Visiting Professor; and in 2010 he was awarded an honorary Doctorate in Business Administration by Middlesex University Business School.
In 2007 and 2008 he secured the No.1 position in Personnel Today’s ‘Top 40 HR Power Players’ list; and in 2010 he was voted the UK’s ‘Most Influential Practitioner’ by readers of HR Magazine for the third consecutive year.
In 2008 David received the Institute of Internal Communications’ ‘Business Communicator of the Year’ award – a title previously given to leading business luminaries such as Justin King, Richard Branson and Anita Roddick. David was the first HR professional to receive this prestigious award.
In 2011, David was appointed to act as a Commissioner for the UK Commission for Employment and Skills by Business Secretary Vince Cable.
David frequently appears on television and radio, and as a speaker at public and private events.