Starbucks shuffles management team to sharpen ‘next gen’ digital focus
Starbucks’ chief executive Howard Schultz is stepping away from the day-to-day running of the business to work more closely with the company’s digital chief as part of a senior management shuffle to tighten its focus on “next generation” digital marketing initiatives.
Schultz, in partnership with the company’s chief digital officer Adam Brotman and chief strategy officer Matt Ryan, will focus on “rapidly evolving” its digital, mobile, card, loyalty and e-commerce presence from next month (3 February). The move is an attempt to tackle what the business has referred to in the past as the “seismic shift” in shopping habits with consumers increasingly moving from bricks to clicks in the fast-food arena.
The management shake-up also sees the coffee maker’s chief financial officer Troy Alstead promoted to the new position of chief operating officer, so that he can focus on expanding the company’s physical stores. Starbucks also appointed Scott Maw, who is currently senior vice president of corporate finance, to the executive vice president and chief financial officer role. Craig Russell, senior vice president for global coffee, was named executive vice president of global coffee.
The changes aim to build on the momentum the company has forged in the loyalty and mobile marketing arenas in recent years.
Schultz adds: “These organisational moves map our internal talent to the rapidly evolving retail environment and significant strategic and market opportunities ahead of us.”
“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.”
The operational changes come a week after the business admitted the rise of people ordering products online had dented sales in its latest quarter. It teased plans to introduce mobile ordering later this year, one of several digital marketing initiatives it claims will exploit “next generation” retailing and payments opportunities.
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