Starbucks announces new management structure

Starbucks announced that beginning June 1st, 2019, the Starbucks China organization will transition to a new business structure for the next phase of growth.

Under the new team structure, Belinda Wong is the new role of chairman and CEO, Starbucks China.

Starbucks China will transition to a new business structure with two distinct business units: Starbucks Retail and Digital Ventures which will now report into the newly created office of the chairman and CEO, Starbucks China. 

Leo Tsoi is promoted to svp/ coo & president, Starbucks Retail and Molly Liu has been promoted to vp/ general manager, Digital Ventures, both will lead the development of two new units.

“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. 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,” said John Culver, group president, International, Channel Development and Global Coffee and Tea, Starbucks.

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

Belinda has led Starbucks unprecedented growth in China since 2011. Under her leadership, the innovation and business development in China far exceeds other global markets. 

She led the team to open the “Coffee Wonderland” experience with the Starbucks Reserve Roastery Shanghai, helped to drive the company’s largest acquisition and integration of the East China business in 2017, and established the deep strategic “New Retail” partnership with Alibaba Group.

This year Starbucks celebrated its 20th anniversary in China, and today, the store footprint expands across 3,800 stores in 165 cities serving more than 9 million customers every week. China has become the fastest growing market for Starbucks in the world.

“We always want to build Starbucks into a unique company. For 20 years, we have walked steadily to achieve a long-term and healthy development in China. 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 realize 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” said Wong.