It looks like Rosalind Brewer is brewing up some Black girl magic and excellence at Starbucks!
On Wednesday, the coffee company announced that it has appointed Brewer as its group president and chief operating officer. With over 30 years of management experience, as well as 10 plus years of experience in leading multi-national retailers under her belt, Brewer will become the first woman and first African American to serve in the company’s high ranking role once her appointment goes into effect on October 2. The first time she made history was in 2010, when she became the first woman and African American to head Sam’s Club.
“Starbucks is a culture-first company focused on performance and Roz is a world class operator and executive who embodies the values of Starbucks. 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,” said Kevin Johnson, Starbucks president and CEO. “I am honored that Roz is joining Starbucks in this capacity and playing an important role with an accomplished team of senior leaders that reflects the strength and diversity of our organization.”
In her new role, Brewer, who earned a bachelor’s in chemistry from Spelman College, “will lead the company’s operating businesses across the Americas (Canada, U.S. and Latin America), as well as the global functions of supply chain, product innovation, and store development organizations”, according to the Starbucks Newsroom.
Brewer’s incredible leadership and business savvy has put her in the position to often be recognized as one of the world’s most powerful women. She also serves on the board of directors for Lockheed Martin Corporation and chairs the Board of Trustees at Spelman.
“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,” said Brewer. “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.”
Congratulations Ms. Brewer on your new position! We salute you for blazing a trail for present and future African American women business leaders.