Michael Conway, Starbucks Corp.’s head of North America, has announced his retirement just months after assuming the role.
Conway, who has been with Starbucks for approximately 12 years, was appointed North America CEO in March 2024 during a corporate reorganization led by former CEO Laxman Narasimhan.
Conway, 58, will retire on November 30, 2024, and will serve as an executive advisor until his departure. His retirement comes shortly after Brian Niccol took over as Starbucks’ new CEO on September 9, 2024. The company’s recent filing did not specify whether Conway’s position would be filled following his departure.
Starbucks revealed that it will eliminate the North America CEO role and create a new position of Chief Brand Officer. This role, which Starbucks is currently recruiting for, will oversee areas such as store concepts, product development, marketing, digital strategy, and customer insights. Sara Trilling, Starbucks’ current North America President, will continue in her role and report directly to Niccol.
Niccol, previously CEO of Chipotle, has emphasized a need for a turnaround at Starbucks, focusing initially on improving the US operations. His recent open letter to employees and customers acknowledged that while Starbucks is well-regarded, it has faced challenges in delivering a consistent and engaging customer experience. This comes amid a 2% decline in same-store sales in the US last quarter.
Conway joined Starbucks in 2013 and has held various roles, including president of Starbucks Canada, head of the US and Latin America licensed stores business, and leader of global channel development. His efforts included expanding Starbucks’ product offerings into grocery stores.
In addition to his role at Starbucks, Conway serves on the board of directors for McCormick since 2015.
With input from CNBC, Bloomberg, and Yahoo Finance.
