Laxman Narasimhan will become Starbucks CEO starting April, the company said on Thursday.
After announcing his departure as CEO of health and hygiene company Reckitt Benckiser, Narasimhan was confirmed in his new position.
The Indian born executive will still head the Anglo-Dutch´s company until the end of September. He will join Starbucks in October before assuming the top job.
Earlier this year former Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson retired, leading Howard Schultz to return to the helm of the Seattle based company. Schultz will continue as interim CEO and will keep a seat on the board as he will keep “closely involved.”
“He (Narasimhan) is a strategic and transformational leader with deep experience in building powerful consumer brands. He is the leader we were looking for,” Schultz said.
The move is part of a major shift in the coffee chain after Chief Operating Officer John Culver stepped down from the company after two decades, as part of a restructuring plan that eliminated his position.
Narasimhan previously worked as global chief commercial officer in Pepsi and a senior partner at McKinsey.
