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Starbucks (NASDAQ:SBUX) appointed North America chief coffeehouse officer Mike Grams to the position of chief operating officer, said CEO Brian Niccol on Wednesday.
In addition to leading the company’s North American coffeehouses, Grams, 55, will now oversee global coffeehouse development and global supply chain, Starbucks said. Grams joined Starbucks in February 2025, after nearly thirty years at Taco Bell, where he held various positions, including President and COO.
“We’re bringing the Global Coffee and Sustainability team and the Global Brand team together. Coffee is at the heart of Starbucks, and this change will further cement coffee at the core of our menu, product innovation, and marketing,” Niccol said, adding that Michelle Burns, executive vice president of global coffee and sustainability, will report to Tressie Lieberman, the company’s chief brand officer.
Additionally, Deb Hall Lefevre, executive vice president, chief technology officer, will now report to CFO Cathy Smith, while chief legal officer Brad Lerman will leave the company.
“We’re on the right path, but we need to move faster. We’re making additional organizational changes to help bring teams closer together, strengthen leadership accountability, and allow teams to move with even greater clarity and urgency,” Niccol added.
Niccol, who took the realm last year, said he wants Starbucks stores to be a welcoming coffeehouse where people gather and where the company serves the finest coffee handcrafted by skilled baristas, leading to a number of changes in policies.
The Seattle-based coffee chain operator’s shares were little changed in extended trading on Wednesday. Overall, they fell over 5% so far this year, compared to the 1.5% rise in the broader S&P500 Index.