Who became Starbucks’ chief executive officer in September 2024?

Brian Niccol became Starbucks’ chief executive officer in September 2024.

Starbucks announced Niccol’s appointment in August 2024, following the departure of Laxman Narasimhan. Niccol officially took over as chairman and chief executive officer on September 9, 2024.

Before joining Starbucks, Niccol was chairman and CEO of Chipotle Mexican Grill. He had joined Chipotle in 2018 and was associated with its digital growth, restaurant expansion, and sales increases.

The change was a major leadership transition for Starbucks because Narasimhan had served as CEO for only about 18 months. Kevin Johnson was the CEO immediately before Narasimhan, while Howard Schultz held the role during several separate periods.