Starbucks North America head retires after five months in the role

(Reuters) – Starbucks (NASDAQ:SBUX) said on Monday that its North America CEO, Michael Conway, had decided to retire after about 11 years at the coffee chain.

The move comes amid newly-appointed Chief Executive Officer Brian Niccol’s turnaround plan focusing on Starbucks’ operations in the U.S.

Conway assumed the role as North America CEO in April this year as the company was grappling with weak demand for its pricey lattes in the U.S.

Niccol, who took over from Laxman Narasimhan in a surprise appointment last month, said in an open letter that he would initially focus on ensuring the U.S. stores deliver drinks and food on time, as well as re-establishing the coffeehouse culture at its outlets.

Starbucks will not backfill the role of North America CEO upon Conway’s retirement, and the company’s North America retail operations head, Sarah Trilling, would report directly to Niccol.

Conway would stay on as an executive adviser through the end of 2024, Starbucks said in a post on its website.

Prior to becoming North America CEO, Conway was the group president of Starbucks’ international and channel development.

He also served as the president of the company’s Canada business, as well as its licensed stores segment for the U.S. and Latin America, among other roles.