Former M&S Head Makes History as Northern Ireland's First Female McDonald's Franchisee

Nicola Finlay, the former president of Marks & Spencer in Northern Ireland, has broken the glass ceiling by becoming the country's first female McDonald's franchisee. Finlay, a mother of two from Dungannon, fulfilled her long-term aim of owning a McDonald's franchise despite having no prior experience with the company.

After the birth of her three-year-old daughter, Avana, the Ballinderry Upper homeowner chose to explore this endeavor. Following a successful application, Finlay now owns and operates the fast-food restaurant, bringing the total number of McDonald's franchisees in Northern Ireland to eight.

Nicola, who holds degrees in math, statistics, and computer programming from Ulster University, began her career as a statistician before enrolling in a graduate program at Tesco. She ran her own Tesco shop within a year and was elected shop Manager of the Year in Tesco's UK network in 2015.

Nicola had a strong ambition to operate a McDonald's restaurant despite her successful career in retail with M&S, where she oversaw more than 20 local locations. She has been hands-on since taking over the Dungannon franchise earlier this month, immersing herself in a thorough training program to grasp every part of the business.

Nicola is determined to make her present business a resounding success and serve as an inspiration to other women in the field, since she aspires to operate many McDonald's shops. "Bite the apple, learn to chew later," her mantra, illustrates her belief in following aspirations and encourages others to do the same.