Ricardo Arias-Nath (left) and a Starbucks store in Talca, Chile | Photo credits: Starbucks

Starbucks has appointed former PepsiCo Chief Strategy and Transformation Officer Ricardo Arias-Nath as President of its Latin America and Caribbean business. 
 

Arias-Nath will oversee the US coffee chain’s strategy development, marketing, sales and franchised store operations across more than 1,600 outlets in 24 markets. He succeeds Tom Ferguson, who had held the role since August 2022. 

“I am honoured to be a part of such an iconic brand and to lead the team in bringing the Starbucks experience to Latin America and the Caribbean. I look forward to contributing to the growth and success of the company and our partners in this new role,” Arias-Nath said. 

More than 1,200 of Starbucks’ 1,600-plus stores across Latin America and Caribbean are operated by Mexican franchise partner Alsea – including 830 in Mexico, 161 in Chile and 132 in Argentina.  

Other Starbucks franchisees include Delosi S.A. in Peru and Boliva, Premium Restaurants of America (PRA) in Costa Rica, El Salvador and Guatemala, Green Star Partners in the Dominican Republic and Prestige Holdings in Guyana.  

The Seattle-based coffee chain will also open its first store in Ecuador this month and plans to launch in Honduras before the end of the year in partnership with PRA and Delosi respectively. 

Starbucks’ licensed stores business in Brazil changed hands in June 2024 when São Paulo-based restaurant group Zamp agreed to buy operating rights from SouthRock for R$120m ($22.7m) following the latter’s bankruptcy in December 2023. Starbucks currently has approximately 130 stores in the South American country. 

Arias-Nath worked for PepsiCo for nearly 16 years. He held several senior roles before becoming Chief Strategy and Transformation Officer in March 2020, including Senior Director for Strategy, Business Development and M&A, Chief Marketing Officer and General Manager of Beverages.