Howard Schultz

Howard D. Schultz (born July 19, 1953) is an American businessman and author. He served as the chairman and CEO of Starbucks from 1986 to 2000, from 2008 to 2017, and as interim CEO from 2022 to 2023. Schultz also owned the Seattle SuperSonics basketball team from 2001 to 2006. He began working at Starbucks in 1982 and later opened Il Giornale, which merged with Starbucks. Under Schultz's leadership, Starbucks expanded its network of stores globally, becoming the largest coffee-house chain in the world. Schultz took the company public in 1992 and played a key role in its growth and success. He returned as CEO during the 2008 financial crisis and implemented strategies for its recovery.