About the speaker: Paula Steenstra is the Director of Design and Packaging at McDonald’s. She is the creative force behind McDonald’s design and packaging. With a knack for turning insights into strategic programs. Known for her motivational style and a good sense of humor, she leads by example, steering the global visual identity and packaging efforts at McDonald’s. Before McDonald’s, she led creative teams at TOMY International, overseeing projects for brands like Pokemon and Disney Zootopia, as well as held roles at Tyson Foods, and Hillshire Brands. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Design from Lewis University.

About the company: McDonald’s is the world’s largest fast-food restaurant chain, serving over 69 million customers daily in over 100 countries in more than 40,000 outlets as of 2021. McDonald’s is best known for its hamburgers, cheeseburgers, and french fries, although their menu also includes other items like chicken, fish, fruit, and salads. Their best-selling licensed item is their french fries, followed by the Big Mac. The McDonald’s Corporation revenues come from the rent, royalties, and fees paid by the franchisees, as well as sales in company-operated restaurants. McDonald’s is the world’s second-largest private employer with 1.7 million employees (behind Walmart with 2.3 million employees), the majority of whom work in the restaurant’s franchises. As of 2022, McDonald’s has the sixth-highest global brand valuation.

Revenue: $23.223 billion

Employees: 1.7 million