Starbucks CEO Takes Over Earlier Than Expected — Retail Bum

Starbucks CEO Laxman Narasimhan has taken over the reins from founder and interim CEO Howard Schultz two weeks earlier than expected.

Narasimhan was appointed as the company’s chief executive in September 2022 and has since shadowed Schultz, who stepped into the role for the third and final time. Since the start of his tenure at Starbucks, he has focused on working with partners in over 30 stores, manufacturing plants, and support centers worldwide and has been immersing himself in the company’s reinvention plans led by Schultz.

He brings nearly 30 years of experience leading global consumer goods businesses and advising retail, grocery, restaurant, and e-commerce companies.

Under Schultz’s leadership, Starbucks unveiled a company-wide reinvention strategy aimed at investing over $1 billion in retail partners and stores for prioritized areas such as increased pay and sick time accrual, new financial well-being benefits, modernized training and collaboration, store innovation and equipment, and the celebration of coffee.

“I am humbled to officially step into my role as Starbucks chief executive officer, leading our incredible team of more than 450,000 green apron partners around the world. The foundation Howard has laid — building from scratch an iconic global brand…