Former McDonald’s exec Lara Skripitsky joins Empire C-suite

Empire Company has tapped Lara Skripitsky as its new chief technology and transformation officer.

Skripitsky previously served as managing director for McDonald’s Switzerland. 

“After 11 unforgettable years, I’ve said goodbye to McDonald’s and the Golden Arches,” Skripitsky said in a LinkedIn post. “What drew me to Empire is the ambition. Deep Canadian roots, strong momentum, and a mandate to lead technology and transformation at real scale, shaping how they serve their stores, teammates and customers. I’m looking forward to working with Pierre St-Laurent and the Empire team, and to learning from and alongside a talented group of leaders. This move also brings our family home to Canada, which makes it all the more meaningful.” 

Skripitsky brings more than 20 years of experience to the role. 

She joined McDonald’s in 2015 as senior director and head of digital. Over the years, she held a number of roles at the company, including vice-president and chief technology officer. Skripitsky took on her most recent position in 2023. 

Prior to that, she held roles at Johnson & Johnson, Rogers Communications and Torstar Digital. 

“Lara brings a proven track record of driving transformation, modernizing technology platforms and enhancing the customer experience,” Pierre St-Laurent, president and CEO of Empire Company, said on the retailer’s first quarter earnings call Thursday (Sept. 10).