This video is part of our "Motley Fool Conversations" series in which consumer goods editor/analyst Austin Smith and industrials editor/analyst Brendan Byrnes discuss topics across the investing world.

McDonald's is realizing a changing of the guard. Jim Skinner is set to retire and pass the golden torch to Don Thompson, who has  some seriously big clown shoes to fill. Skinner set the bar high with crazy-good performance over the last few years. Under his tenure, McDonald's has more than tripled its share price. Fortunately, Thompson is a 21-year vet with the golden arches and has made his commitment to the "Plan to Win" strategy that Skinner inherited and executed incredibly well. Thompson will also have to execute on McDonald's international expansion ambitions, which are crucial to the company's success.

McDonald's has done a phenomenal job of executing on its international growth thus far, but it still has room to run. That's just one reason it was highlighted in our report: "3 American Companies Set to Dominate the World."You can access your complimentary copy of this report today to learn about the other two companies. Click here to get your copy today!