Howard Schultz to exit Starbucks

Former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz announced this week that he'll be leaving his position as executive chairman at the end of the month, reports The New York Times. Schultz bought Starbucks in the late 1980s and oversaw its expansion as a global cafe giant with about 28,000 outlets in 77 countries. Schultz had moved from chief executive to chairman in April 2018, "shifting his focus to social-impact initiatives and developing the company’s high-end coffee shops," writes The Wall Street Journal. His departure is “likely to fuel speculation” that Schultz may be planning to run for office.