Robert Gibbs

Robert Lane Gibbs (born March 29, 1971) is an American communication professional who served as executive vice president and global chief communications officer of McDonald's from 2015 to 2019 and as the 27th White House press secretary from 2009 to 2011. As executive vice president, Gibbs was in charge of public relations at McDonald's. Before McDonald's, Gibbs was an American political advisor and commentator, who served as White House Press Secretary during the first term of the Obama administration. Gibbs had worked with Obama since 2004 and previously served as the communications director for then-senator Obama and his campaign during the 2008 presidential election. He later served as a senior campaign adviser for Obama's campaign during the 2012 presidential election. Prior to becoming a member of the Obama team he was press secretary for John Kerry's 2004 presidential campaign and was a part of several Senate campaigns, having served as communications director for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and for four individual Senate campaigns, including those of Obama in 2004 and Fritz Hollings in 1998. Gibbs was also the press secretary of Representative Bob Etheridge. Gibbs was announced as the press secretary for President Obama on November 22, 2008, and officially assumed the role on January 20, 2009, giving his first official briefing on January 22. In 2024, he joined Warner Brothers Discovery as communications chief.