Starbucks has named Stephen Piacentini as its new coffeehouse design and development officer, a hire described in an internal company message that was reported to have been seen by The Wall Street Journal. Piacentini joins Starbucks after serving as chief development officer at Chipotle, and he brings prior leadership experience from roles at Arby’s, Jimmy John’s and Taco Bell.
The appointment places Piacentini within the senior team charged with shaping how Starbucks expands and configures its retail footprint. According to the message, Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol, who began leading the company in 2024 after a tenure as Chipotle’s CEO and earlier executive roles at Taco Bell, has assigned Piacentini responsibility for advancing the chain’s growth strategy.
In parallel, the communication indicates that Meredith Sandland, another executive recruited during Niccol’s period at Taco Bell, will transition into a newly created coffeehouse strategy role. Her remit is described as concentrating on future café operations and the economic models that underpin them.
The personnel moves signal a reallocation of responsibilities among executives involved with store design, development and operational strategy. Piacentini’s background in multi-concept restaurant development and Sandland’s focus on café economics suggest the company is aligning design and operational planning more closely with broader growth objectives articulated by senior leadership.
Details in the message focus on the roles and reporting lines rather than on specific expansion targets or timelines. The announcement frames the hires as part of a strategic push led by the CEO to accelerate and refine how Starbucks approaches its physical stores and their underlying economics.
For investors and industry watchers, the changes are notable for the personnel profiles involved. Piacentini’s most recent position at Chipotle and earlier roles across quick-service and fast-casual brands reflect experience with development programs. Sandland’s new assignment signals internal attention to how café operations and financial models will evolve under the company’s current leadership.
Summary
Starbucks has tapped Stephen Piacentini, formerly Chipotle’s chief development officer and a vet of Taco Bell, Arby’s and Jimmy John’s, to lead coffeehouse design and development. CEO Brian Niccol, who joined Starbucks in 2024 after leading Chipotle and working at Taco Bell, has given Piacentini responsibility for moving the company’s growth strategy forward. Meredith Sandland will shift to a coffeehouse strategy role focused on future café operations and economic modeling.