Finance
Starbucks Shuffles Top Brass, Names New Operating Chief
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on June 4, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 23, 2026
Add as preferred source on GoogleGlobal Banking & Finance Review®
Company
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on June 4, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 23, 2026
Add as preferred source on GoogleStarbucks promotes Mike Grams to COO as part of a leadership reshuffle to boost performance and return to coffeehouse roots under CEO Brian Niccol.
By Ananya Mariam Rajesh
(Reuters) -Starbucks on Wednesday promoted its North America chief coffeehouse officer Mike Grams to chief operating officer as part of a leadership reshuffle aimed at boosting performance.
This is the latest in a series of moves from CEO Brian Niccol, who took over the top job last year and has said he wants to return Starbucks to its coffee house roots.
Niccol has promised a simpler menu and Starbucks cafes going back to ceramic cups, offering refills and condiment bars, while also reducing wait times to under four minutes. He has also cut back on the company's deals and discounts, seeking instead to broaden its marketing beyond loyalty program members.
"... our performance isn't yet where we want it to be," Niccol said in a statement on Wednesday, adding, "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."
In April, the coffee giant reported disappointing global comparable sales and profit for the second quarter, as inflation and economic uncertainty increased costs and dampened U.S. demand.
The company hired a new finance boss in March, tapping retail industry veteran Cathy Smith for the role. This followed an announcement in January that Starbucks' North America president Sara Trilling and chief supply chain officer Arthur Valdez would leave.
Trilling's role was then split, and Grams had assumed the position of chief coffeehouse officer. In addition to leading the company's cafes in North America, Grams will now oversee global coffeehouse development and supply chain operations, Niccol said in the statement.
Grams and Niccol are both former Taco Bell executives.
Starbucks said Grams' base salary will now be $900,000 per year, up from $700,000 per year. His annual incentive bonus target has been increased to 125% of his base salary from 100%.
(Reporting by Ananya Mariam Rajesh in Bengaluru; Editing by Mohammed Safi Shamsi and Sayantani Ghosh)
Mike Grams, the North America chief coffeehouse officer, has been promoted to chief operating officer.
Brian Niccol is focusing on returning Starbucks to its coffeehouse roots, simplifying the menu, and reducing wait times.
Starbucks reported disappointing global comparable sales and profit for the second quarter due to inflation and economic uncertainty.
Mike Grams' base salary has been increased to $900,000 per year, up from $700,000.
Starbucks has made several organizational changes, including hiring a new finance boss and splitting the role of North America president.
Explore more articles in the Finance category
