Starbucks' Laxman Narasimhan Wants to Serve Connection in Every Cup

Laxman Narasimhan is six months into being CEO of the world’s most ubiquitous coffee shop. Narasimhan took over Starbucks from Howard Schultz in March of 2023. Before stepping into the CEO's office, he completed a six month immersion in Starbucks cafes around the country, where he learned the ins and outs of making each customer’s favorite drinks while also constructing a vision for the future of the company. In April of this year, Narasimhan sent out a letter with a revised company mission statement highlighting the need to nurture human connection while also promising big returns for shareholders. Those big returns may come in part from the company's plans to open 10,000 more stores across the globe by 2025.

In this episode of Leadership Next, Narasimhan joins hosts Alan Murray and Michal Lev-Ram to talk about how his six month immersion is informing his leadership of Starbucks. He also shares more details about Starbucks' plans for growth and why this is the right time to open thousands of new stores around the world. Additionally, Narasimhan gives his take on the state of Chinese and Western relations, and how that affects Starbucks' business. Woven throughout the conversation is how his personal story of growing up in India impacts his approach to leadership.

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