Starbucks shakes up executive roles

Seattle -- Starbucks Coffee Company has announced a new leadership structure that it says positions the company to leverage its assets and operations, and gain maximum benefit from the retail, consumer, mobile and digital shifts currently underway in the global marketplace. Most significantly, Starbucks chairman, president and CEO Howard Schultz will expand his focus on innovation in coffee, tea and the Starbucks Experience, as well as next generation retailing and payments initiatives in the areas of digital, mobile, card, loyalty and e-commerce to position Starbucks for its next wave of global growth.



Schultz will work in partnership with the Starbucks senior leadership team, including chief digital officer Adam Brotman and chief strategy officer Matt Ryan.



In addition, building on his 22 years of experience at Starbucks, former CFO and group president of global business services Troy Alstead will be promoted to the newly created position of COO, responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations of the enterprise. Starbucks senior VP of corporate finance, Scott Maw, will be promoted to executive VP and CFO. Craig Russell, Starbucks voice and advocate for coffee, will be promoted to executive VP, Global Coffee.



“These organizational moves map our internal talent to the rapidly evolving retail environment and significant strategic and market opportunities ahead of us,” said Schultz. “Each of these experienced Starbucks leaders will be working closely with the entire senior leadership team, and me, to bring even greater financial and operational discipline to our business around the world. They will partner with me as I focus on Starbucks mission, growth initiatives and the convergence and integration of our retail and e-commerce, digital, card and mobile assets around the world. There has never been a more exciting time to be a Starbucks partner.”