Starbucks has announced a series of leadership and structural changes aimed at accelerating its turnaround, following recent earnings that fell short of expectations.

Mike Grams has been appointed chief operating officer, expanding his role to oversee global coffeehouse development and the global supply chain. He will now manage Meredith Sandland, EVP and chief development officer, and Sanjay Shah, EVP and chief supply chain officer.

The company is also merging its global coffee and sustainability team with the global brand team. Michelle Burns, who leads coffee and sustainability, will now report to Tressie Lieberman, EVP and global chief brand officer, in a move to better integrate sustainability and coffee into Starbucks’ product and marketing strategies.

Technology operations will now fall under the finance team, with CTO Deb Hall Lefevre reporting to CFO Cathy Smith. The company said this alignment is intended to strengthen investments in technology that improve in-store operations and customer service.

Starbucks also confirmed that Brad Lerman, EVP and chief legal officer, will depart in the coming months. A search for his successor is underway, and he will remain in the role during the transition.

The company said the changes are designed to improve coordination, accountability and execution speed across the organisation. CEO Laxman Narasimhan said that while recent progress is encouraging, the company must "move faster" to return to stronger performance.