Burger King appoints former McDonald’s marketing chief

Burger King has appointed former McDonald’s marketing director Jo Blundell to the same role as it looks to close the gap on its market-leading rival.

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Blundell, according to a statement, is charged with “driving strong sales and brand awareness” in the UK and Ireland. She will start on 3 May.

The fast-food chain has been without a marketing chief since Sarah Power left in January. One of Power’s last acts was to bring the chain’s US brand character, “The King” to UK marketing campaigns, a move that was questioned by many observers.

Blundell spent 12 months at McDonald’s from 2006. Burger King claims that she “steered the brand towards double-digit growth” in her year at the helm.

She has also had stints at ad agency TBWA, where she was managing director, and most recently as marketing director at 118 118 parent The Number.

She will report directly to UK managing director Andrew Trounce and work closely with EMEA marketing head John Schaufelberger.