Charlie Bell

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For the basketball player, see Charlie Bell (basketball): For the baseball player, see Charlie Bell (baseball)

Charles Hamilton Bell AO
Charlie Bell promoting McDonalds
Born	November 7, 1960 Kingsford, Australia
Died	January 17, 2005 (aged 44) Australia
Nationality	Australian
Education	Marcellin College Randwick
Occupation	Business Excutive, President, CEO McDonalds
Title	Order of Australia
Spouse	Leonie
Children	Alex
Parents	Mother: Margaret
Website The Charlie Bell Scholarship Program

Charles Hamilton Bell AO (November 7, 1960 – January 17, 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 of 2004. Bell was the first non-American to hold that position. ^[1]

Charlie grew up in Sydney, Australia, and attended Marcellin College Randwick. Bell began his career at McDonald's at the age of 15, working at the Kingsford restaurant in Sydney. At the age of 19, he became the youngest store manager in Australian McDonald's history. At age 29 he was on the board of the Australian subsidiary, becoming its managing director at 33. ^[2]

He quickly rose through the ranks of corporate McDonald's and when CEO Jim Cantalupo died suddenly on April 19th, 2004, Bell was chosen to take his place. During his short time at the head of the company, its greatest problem was criticism of the healthiness of its food, which was exacerbated by the release of the documentary film Super Size Me. Bell led efforts to add more healthier choices to the McDonald's menu, and allow parents to substitute juice and apple slices for fries and soft drinks for their children. The "Supersize" option was also eliminated. During his brief tenure, his initiatives resulted in a successful turnaround in McDonald's fortunes.^[3] ^[4] Bell was also responsible for introducing the McCafe, a coffeehouse franchise that serves gourmet coffee, cakes and pastries and premium teas.^[5]

Soon after becoming CEO, Bell was diagnosed with colon cancer. He had surgery on May 7th, 2004, just over two weeks after taking over as CEO. He continued working for a time, but eventually resigned to battle the disease, which became incurable. In December 2004, McDonald's paid for the terminally-ill Bell to be returned to his native Australia in a specially equipped jet. He passed away shortly afterwards.

The deaths of Cantalupo and Bell, who died relatively young, have led some to wonder whether being an executive at a company which produced allegedly unhealthy food led to their illnesses, particularly as Bell was known to eat McDonald's products often. Similarly, two successive CEOs of Wendy's, Jim Near and Gordon Teter, died in their fifties of heart attacks. It is not known whether Bell's diet contributed to his cancer. ^[6]

Bell was posthumously made an Officer of the Order of Australia in June 2005. ^[7]

[edit] Other Appointments

Member of the Global Board of Ronald McDonald House Charities, serving till 2001.
Member of the Business Council of Australia.
Member of the Advisory Board of the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation from 1993 to 1999.
Chairman of the Small Business Deregulation Task Force, appointed by John Howard (Prime Minister of Australia) in 1996.
Trustee of the Sydney Theatre Company, between 1997 and 2000.
Director of the Pact Youth Theatre in Sydney, Australia between 1988 to 1997.

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