Starbucks names Rosalind Brewer as new President, COO

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Starbucks has a new COO and president, effective next month.

Rosalind Brewer, the former president and CEO of Sam’s Club, was announced as the new head of the company on Wednesday and will continue to serve on the board of directors.

“Starbucks is a culture-first company focused on performance and Roz is a world class operator and executive who embodies the values of Starbucks,” Kevin Johnson, Starbucks’ president and COO, said in a statement.

Johnson added that Brewer has been a “trusted strategic counselor” ever since she joined the board of directors in January.

“Ms. Brewer has a wealth of experience in retailing, consumers and [consumer packaged goods] markets,” Neil Saunders, managing director of GlobalData, told CNBC via email. “She is also used to running large, complex organization with a global focus.”

The move comes as Starbucks is experiencing lower retail sales than usual, a problem that Brewer will have to face during her tenure.

“[Brewer] was instrumental in making changes at Sam’s Club to bring the retailer more in line with trends around health and wellness,” Saunders said. “She also did a lot in terms of e-commerce and multichannel, and this experience will be valuable for Starbucks.”