Just months after joining the Starbucks board of directors, Rosalind “Roz” Brewer has been appointed as the coffee giant’s new chief operating officer and group president. Her new role takes effect Oct. 2.
“Starbucks is a culture-first company focused on performance and Roz is a world class operator and executive who embodies the values of Starbucks,” said the company in a press release.
“As a passionate customer of the brand and recently elected board member, I have a deep love and admiration for the Starbucks brand and its people. I am so honored to have the pleasure of working with the Starbucks leadership team to realize our highest of aspirations for the company and I look forward to working closely with the astute and talented leaders across the enterprise,” said Brewer in a statement.
Kevin Johnson, Starbucks president and CEO, praised Brewer and said that her leadership will be instrumental in building the company. “She has been a trusted strategic counselor to me ever since she joined our board of directors, and I deeply value her insight, business acumen, and leadership expertise. Roz is the right leader to help us realize our greatest of ambitions in this next chapter of our journey,” he said.
In her new role, Brewer will be in charge of the coffee chains throughout the U.S., Latin America, and Canada. She will also be responsible for running its global supply chain and its product and store innovation.
The business leader made history in 2012 when she was named as the president and CEO of Sam’s Club, becoming the first African American woman to be named as a CEO at one of Walmart’s divisions. Brewer announced her retirement from that role in January and joined Starbucks’ diverse board. Brewer was also listed on Black Enterprise‘s 2015 50 Most Powerful Women in Corporate America.
She will continue to serve as a Starbucks board member. She also sits on the board of Lockheed Martin Corp. and chairs the board of trustees for her alma mater Spelman College.