Jacob Ford

Director of Go-to-Market Customer Insights at McDonald's USA

Speaker

Jacob Ford is Director of Go-to-Market Customer Insights at McDonald’s USA. Over the past four years, he has held various roles across McDonald’s Insights teams — from Global Business Insights to Innovation Insights & Analytics — leading large-scale global research and digital performance analytics. He combines business and consumer intelligence with a strategic lens to inform key decisions.

In his current role, Jacob leads the GTM Customer Insights team, ensuring the customer voice is embedded across all U.S. touchpoints — from national advertising and digital to in-restaurant and retail marketing. The team uses behavioral science, ethnographic research, creative testing, and test-and-learn methods to optimize marketing and drive growth.

Jacob holds a BS in Industrial Engineering from Purdue and an MBA from Northwestern’s Kellogg School. He previously worked in retail at Kohl’s and serves on the Associate Board of the Chicago Public Library Foundation. He proudly supports Ronald McDonald House Charities.