Starbucks on Monday named Michael Conway its CEO of North America as part of a broad change in the company’s leadership structure.
Brady Brewer, who had been the Seattle-based chain’s chief marketing officer, will oversee Starbucks International as that division’s CEO. Starbucks China will remain its own division under Co-CEOs Belinda Wong and Molly Liu.
The moves, among others, are part of a reorganization of corporate leadership under new geographic divisions. They come just more than a year after Laxman Narasimhan took over as the company’s CEO. The changes take effect on April 1.
Starbucks is “realigning the organization to balance clear geographical focus with investing in functional capabilities to scale around the world, generating productivity and reinvigorating our partner culture,” Narasimhan said in a statement.
The moves highlight Starbucks’ growing global presence. The chain is now the world’s second biggest restaurant company globally, after McDonald’s, both in terms of sales and unit count.
Starbucks has aggressive plans to grow its unit count globally to 55,000 locations by 2030, up from just under 39,000 now. Three out of four of its store openings are planned outside the U.S.
Conway has worked with the company since 2013, most recently as group president of international and “Channel Development,” which included the division focused on the packaged goods business.
Sara Trilling, who had been EVP and president of North America, will remain in that role and will report to Conway.
Brewer had been with the company for more than 20 years and has held numerous roles around the world, including SVP of Starbucks Asia Pacific and COO with Starbucks Japan.
Starbucks will not replace Brewer as CMO but rather the company plans to have regional marketing support under each geographic CEO.
And Narasimhan named two additional global positions that report to him. Lyne Castonguay will join Starbucks as EVP and chief merchant and product officer. She will focus on developing new products and growth platforms, and will lead the company’s global channel development team and its Siren Retail team.
The company also plans to “soon” appoint a new global brand creative leader.
“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,” Narasimhan said.
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