Starbucks Australia has appointed Braeden Lord as its new CEO, effective November 25. 

Lord, who is currently CEO of Gelatissimo, formerly held leadership positions at major retail brands such as 7-Eleven, Grill’d, and Bakers Delight.

He has had a close relationship with Starbucks since 2004 and has been a member of its board since 2015. He succeeds Chris Garlick, who has been CEO since 2014 and will now take up the role as CEO of Retail Zoo.

Michael Smith, chairman of Starbucks Australia, said Lord is well suited to continue Garlick’s tenure.

Starbucks Australia has grown from 24 to 72 outlets, with 45 more in the pipeline. Lord, in a statement, committed to establishing Starbucks as “Australia’s favourite coffee brand while respecting the country’s strong independent coffee culture”. 

“We are currently entering Western Australia with our first store in the state at Piara Waters; Starbucks’ growth in this vibrant coffee landscape is a testament to the strength of the brand and our commitment to meeting more customers in Australia where they are,” Lord said.