Leadership

Starbucks names John Culver COO

The longtime company veteran takes over for Roz Brewer, who is now the CEO of Walgreen’s. Michael Conway will take over as president of international.
Starbucks executive changes
Photo courtesy of Starbucks

Starbucks on Tuesday named John Culver its new president of North America and chief operating officer amid a trio of executive changes stemming from the January departure of Roz Brewer.

Culver had been president of international for the Seattle-based coffee giant. To take his place, Starbucks named Michael Conway group president of international and channel development. Michelle Burns, meanwhile, was named executive vice president, global coffee, tea and cocoa.

The changes will be effective June 28.

“Starbucks is fortunate to have a deep, talented and diverse team of senior executives we are able to tap to help lead us forward,” CEO Kevin Johnson said in a statement.

Culver is a 19-year Starbucks veteran, having joined in 2002, and has led the company’s international division for the past 15 years. Under his watch, the company grew to more than 15,000 locations outside the U.S.

Conway joined Starbucks in 2013 to lead channel development. He will now take on the additional role of overseeing the company’s international markets while he will also lead Starbucks’ Global Coffee Alliance with Nestle.

Burns has more than 26 years of experience at Starbucks and leads global coffee, tea and cocoa. The company said her promotion to executive vice president “reflects the importance of coffee as core to Starbucks’ business and recognizes the critical role it plays in the intersectionality” of its goals within the coffee supply chain.

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