Starbucks: Why Howard Schultz’s departure could ‘open the door’ for expansion in China

News Snapshot:

As Starbucks reshuffles its board, a new China strategy may be brewing at the coffee giant. Last week, Starbucks' founder and three-time CEO Howard Schultz announced plans to step down from the board of directors after CEO Laxman Narasimhan took the helm earlier this year. Starting on Oct. 1, former Alibaba executive Wei Zhang will take Schultz's spot on Starbucks' board, an appointment seen as reemphasizing the company's commitment to China. That could mean changes to Starbucks' strategy in China, the company's second-biggest market. "Howard Schultz was the mind behind China's special positioning in Starbucks' ecosystem … and the key...