McDonald’s Announces the Departure of Two Top Marketing Executives

McDonald’s Corp., the largest U.S. hamburger chain, said two top marketing executives resigned. Officials declined to say whether the resignations were related to a controversy surrounding the company’s promotional games.

R.J. Milano, senior vice president of U.S. marketing, and Kim Poston, senior director of U.S. marketing, resigned “to seek other opportunities,” spokesman Walt Riker said.

Riker wouldn’t say when the executives left. The executives couldn’t be reached for comment.

The two were involved with “broad marketing efforts,” which included working with outside agencies and on various promotions and programs, Riker said.

In September, a federal grand jury indicted 21 people on suspicion of conspiring to defraud McDonald’s. Jerome Jacobson, a security director for Simon Marketing Inc., the company hired to run the contests, was accused of stealing winning game pieces and distributing them to conspirators.

Simon sued McDonald’s last month for more than $1 billion, alleging the company was aware of a plan to manipulate the games yet concealed the information from Simon. Simon says McDonald’s falsely portrayed Simon as having been involved, while McDonald’s says it was an innocent victim.

McDonald’s shares rose 13 cents to close at $26.20 on the New York Stock Exchange.