In her fourteen years at the helm of McDonald’s Hong Kong, including eight as chief executive, Randy Lai has led the company through numerous changes; some of them carefully researched and planned, others caused by external circumstances, but all providing the opportunity to show genuine vision in creating a stronger organisation.
Having marked the restaurant chain’s 50th anniversary in Hong Kong this year and with initiatives in place to drive growth and customer engagement, Lai’s philosophy is to keep building on past success by continuing to innovate in a sector where competition is always intense.
In overseeing the operations of over 260 outlets and a team of roughly 18,000 employees who serve more than one million customers a day, her goal is to remain “people-obsessed” while recognising as needs and behaviours evolve, a new norm is taking shape.
As that happens, the four pillars which support everything else are menu innovation, leadership marketing, digital transformation, and constant efforts to ensure a great restaurant experience.
“Our strategy is all about ‘glocalisation’,” Lai says. “Our business model is built on a globalised framework, while operating in a locally relevant way.”
To illustrate, she notes that when the first restaurant opened on Paterson Street back in 1975, many residents were unfamiliar with hamburgers and fries, but by adapting the basic model, it was possible to embrace local tastes and preferences.
Since then, McDonald’s has grown with Hong Kong, not just serving meals, but also creating a place where generations come together and share special moments.
Among other things, that was done by never being complacent, always looking to innovate, continuing to invest, and aiming to be “first choice” for both customers and employees.
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