Starbucks China Reshuffles Management

Starbucks China management has been restructured as the company gears up for a more intense focus on its digital business. From June 1, CEO Belinda Wong, becomes chairman and CEO of Starbucks China.

Two distinct business units will be created – Starbucks Retail and Digital Ventures – the heads of which will report directly to the newly created office of the chairman and CEO, Starbucks China.

Leo Tsoi has been appointed SVP, COO & president of Starbucks Retail and Molly Liu has been appointed VP & GM of Digital Ventures.

Wong will oversee new business development in China and focus on long-term sustainable growth.

“The new team structure is for the next phase of growth and managing resources to balance the short-term needs of the business and the long-term strategic priorities in China,” said Starbucks group president, international, channel development and global coffee and tea, John Culver.

“While paying more attention to customers and partners, we will accelerate the pace of innovation to capture the new opportunities in the third-place experience and digital innovation,” he said.

Wong has headed the China business since 2011 and under her leadership, the company has grown at a rate faster than any other of the brand’s global markets. Among her achievements were setting up the New Retail partnership with Alibaba, integrating the East China business in 2017 and creating the “Coffee Wonderland” experience with the Starbucks Reserve Roastery in Shanghai.

After 20 years in China, the company has grown to 3800 stores in 165 cities, serving 9 million customers every week.

“For 20 years, we have worked steadily to achieve a long-term and healthy development in China,” said Wong. “For the next chapter of growth, we will stay true to our mission, values and guiding principles. About 53,000 Starbucks partners in China will work together to continue our innovation ventures and bring our passion of coffee to our customers to enhance the third-place experience.

“We will also support our partners in their professional development to realise their full potential and give back to the community where we live in. ‘In China, for China’, we will continue to fulfill our commitment in developing a long-term and healthy development in China, making Starbucks as a faster, stronger and more loving company,” she said.