McDonald’s UK has overhauled its marketing operations to create the new role of head of CRM, loyalty, partnerships and social just three months after promoting “lifer” Tim Kenward to CMO and senior vice president.
Calum Johns takes up the role from Holland & Barrett, where he has been head of loyalty since October 2024. Prior to that, Johns was senior CRM and loyalty manager at Costa Coffee. He has also held senior loyalty roles at Subway and InterContinental Hotels Group, where he spent nearly 8 years, and was responsible for leading the loyalty programme strategy across EMEAA inclusive of programme updates, marketing planning and reporting to drive commercial performance.
Although the role is a new one, Johns effectively succeeds Andrew Ellis, who served as head of CRM for McDonald’s UK for over 6 years.
Ellis was instrumental in establishing and scaling the digital customer communications framework during the foundation and rollout of its MyMcDonald’s Rewards programme but left in 2024.
TMW handles the UK & Ireland CRM account, having won the business in late 2024 following a competitive global review. It replaced the long-time 12-year incumbent, Armadillo.
The agency works with McDonald’s across strategy and creative for CRM, responsible for direct to customer communications to help build “brand love” and loyalty. TMW taps into the scale and technology of parent group Accenture Song, leveraging the power of generative AI to transform customer experiences and drive growth.
The Human Understanding Lab, TMW’s team of data, behavioural and neuroscientists, is also central in analysing the brand’s audience, augmented with technical and data support from the wider Accenture Song team.
In a LinkedIn post, Johns said he was already “lovin’ it”, adding: “Thank you to all my amazing new colleagues and leaders for giving me the warmest of welcomes to the Arches. It’s already feeling like a very special place. Very excited for what’s ahead with this team!”
The fast-food giant recently overhauled its digital and loyalty strategy with the cancellation of its Monopoly promotion for 2026, substituting it with app-exclusive offers. This month, customers can claim one free McCafé hot drink every week. The promotion coincides with the launch of a new lighter coffee roast and permanent customisation options like caramel and vanilla syrups.
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