2004年11月22日，麦当劳首席执行长、现年44岁的查利·贝尔因受直肠癌病情影响正式卸任，接替他的人将是现年60岁的副董事长吉姆·斯金纳。
外电报道如下：
McDonald's Corp. said on Monday President and Chief Executive Charlie Bell had stepped down to focus on his cancer treatment and that Vice Chairman Jim Skinner would replace him.
The world's largest restaurant chain said Skinner, a 33-year company veteran, would take over immediately as CEO. The company also named McDonald's USA Chief Executive Mike Roberts as president and chief operating officer.
Step down表示“辞职，下台，退出”，例如：Many high rank officials of Bush administrations had stepped down. （布什内阁的许多高级官员辞职了。）和step相关的词组还有很多，例如step across（访问，看望）；step for step（用同样步调，并驾齐驱地）；step out on sb.（[美俚]在感情方面对某人不忠）；It is the first step that costs.（万事开头难）等。
2004年4月，麦当劳前任首席执行长吉姆·坎塔卢波心脏病突发去世，贝尔接掌帅印。颇具领导魅力的贝尔15岁开始在澳大利亚的一家麦当劳店打工，职业生涯堪称扶摇直上。在出任首席执行长之前，他带领麦当劳亚洲及欧洲业务实现了扭亏为盈。