Starbucks Promotes Belinda Wong to Head China Operations

Starbucks Corp. said Wednesday it was promoting company executive Belinda Wong to chief executive of Starbucks China as the coffeehouse chain continues its aggressive push into China, despite lingering concerns over the country's economy.

Ms. Wong will oversee an effort to increase the chain's stores in China from the current 2,300 to 5,000 by 2021.

"In her elevated role, Wong will focus on the overall long-term growth strategy and lead the innovation," Starbucks said in a statement.

She joined Starbucks in 2000 and was previously president of Starbucks China before stepping up to her new position.

Ms. Wong was marketing manager of McDonald's China Development Company before joining Starbucks.

Starbucks also said Leo Tsoi, most recently Starbucks China's vice president of store development and design, has been promoted to chief operating officer of the China business.

Beijing has grappled with a sluggish economy that has only recently shown signs of stabilizing. China reported third-quarter economic growth of 6.7% on Wednesday, the level it posted in both the first and second quarters.

Gauges such as industrial production and fixed-asset investment have been surprisingly robust recently thanks to easy-money policies and a wave of infrastructure projects.

Write to Ezequiel Minaya at [e-mail]

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

October 19, 2016 08:15 ET (12:15 GMT)

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