Starbucks has reorganized its global leadership structure as it moves forward with its “Triple Shot Reinvention with Two Pumps” growth strategy, which includes plans to expand its global footprint to 55,000 locations by 2030. The company also is touting the increasing number of those new stores that fall into its Greener Stores model, with 6,091 such stores now open around the world.
Leadership Changes Create ‘Clear Geographic Structure’
In order to better support its global growth ambitions, Starbucks has restructured its leadership team with a series of changes that will take effect April 1, 2024. These include:
- Michael Conway has been named as the company’s first-ever CEO of North America. Conway has been with Starbucks since 2013, most recently serving as Group President, International and Channel Development;
- Sara Trilling will remain EVP and President in North America, focused on enhancing the retail partner experience while growing the North America store portfolio and the North America licensed store business, reporting to Conway;
- Belinda Wong, Chairwoman and Co-CEO. and Molly Liu, Co-CEO, will both continue to lead the Starbucks China team, reporting to Starbucks CEO Laxman Narasimhan;
- Brady Brewer will assume the role of CEO for Starbucks International, with oversight of the teams across Asia Pacific, EMEA, Japan, and Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), as well as the company’s international licensed partners. Over his more than 20 years with Starbucks, Brewer has served in several global, regional and market-specific roles around the world, including as SVP, Starbucks Asia Pacific and COO of Starbucks Japan. Most recently he served as EVP and Chief Marketing Officer; and
- Starbucks will not replace the Global Chief Marketing position most recently occupied by Brewer. Instead, each geographic CEO will have regional marketing support, while two new global positions have been added: Lyne Castonguay will join Starbucks in the newly created position of EVP, Chief Merchant and Product Officer, and a Global Brand Creative leader will soon be appointed, with both positions reporting to Narasimhan. In her new role, Castonguay will oversee global product strategy, developing new products and growth platforms.
“As we look to the future, the opportunity we have is truly limitless,” said Narasimhan in a statement. “Throughout our history, we have continued to reinvent not who we are or what we stand for, but what we do and how we connect with our customers and deliver our long-term aspirations. Because of our partners, and with our strategic plan and world class-leadership team, the best days of Starbucks are ahead of us.”
Starbucks Aims for 10,000 Greener Stores by 2025
The company also is pushing forward on its sustainability commitment with the certification of 6,091 Greener Stores, marking a near doubling of that model’s store count in the past year. Ultimately, Starbucks is aiming to have 10,000 Greener Stores certified globally by 2025.
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Being certified as a Greener Store means meeting standards across eight environmental impact areas, developed in partnership with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and SCS Global Services: water stewardship, energy efficiency, waste diversion, renewable energy, responsible materials, engagement sites and community health and wellbeing. Each Greener Store has a combination of sustainable features that help it receive these third-party verifications. Some stores have obvious elements like solar panels or water recycling tanks, while others have more subtle features like high efficiency appliances, low-emitting paint and sealants, energy management systems as well as store practices like composting and food donation.
Starbucks now has Greener Stores in 44 markets, with new markets including India, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Taiwan, Vietnam, Bahrain, Italy, France, Spain, and Costa Rica, as well as the Hacienda Alsacia Visitor Center café at Starbucks’ first and only coffee farm. Since October 2022, all new Starbucks stores in LAC are being built under the Greener Stores framework.
“Our big vision for the future is for every Starbucks store around the world to be more sustainable,” said Michael Kobori, Starbucks Chief Sustainability Officer in a statement. “That’s why I’m excited to see the continued growth of Greener Stores globally, driven by the passion of our partners. Starbucks’ environmental promise comes to life through our baristas’ daily actions which help define a Greener Store, our innovative shift toward reusable cups and our partnership with coffee farmers on sustainable growing practices — it’s all part of our commitment to give more than we take from the planet.”
