Starbucks’ newly appointed CEO, Brian Niccol, has made headlines with his unconventional approach to commuting. Brian Niccol, who resides in California, has decided not to relocate to Seattle, the location of Starbucks’ global headquarters. Instead, he will commute 1,600 kilometers each day using a corporate jet to reach his office in Seattle.
Brian Niccol’s employment agreement outlines this extraordinary commuting arrangement, which allows him to maintain his primary residence in California while still fulfilling his duties at the Seattle office. According to the agreement, he is expected to work from the Seattle headquarters at least three days a week, aligning with Starbucks’ hybrid work policy that has been in place since 2023.
At 50 years old, Brian Niccol is set to receive an annual base salary of $1.6 million. In addition to his salary, he is eligible for a performance-based cash bonus ranging from $3.6 million to $7.2 million. Furthermore, he stands to earn up to $23 million in annual equity awards, depending on the company’s performance under his leadership.
This isn’t the first time Brian Niccol has negotiated such a unique commuting arrangement. During his tenure as CEO of Chipotle in 2018, he organized a similar setup, where he commuted to Chipotle’s then-headquarters in Colorado before the company moved its base to California three months into his role.
A Starbucks spokesperson emphasized that despite the long-distance commute, Brian Niccol’s presence will be felt across the company. “Brian’s primary office and a majority of his time will be spent in our Seattle Support Center or visiting partners and customers in our stores, roasteries, roasting facilities, and offices worldwide. His schedule will exceed the hybrid work guidelines and workplace expectations we have for all partners,” the spokesperson said.
Flexible work arrangements like Brian Niccol’s are not unheard of among high-ranking executives, who often possess significant negotiating power. For example, Hillary Super, CEO of Rihanna’s lingerie brand Fenty x Savage, was granted permission to work from New York City instead of the company’s headquarters near Columbus, Ohio.
However, not all CEOs have the same flexibility. Executives like Amazon’s Andy Jassy and JPMorgan Chase’s Jamie Dimon have been vocal advocates for a return to in-office work, pushing against the trend of hybrid arrangements.
Brian Niccol’s appointment as Starbucks CEO comes at a critical time for the company. Starbucks has seen a decline in sales in its two largest markets, the United States and China, under the leadership of outgoing CEO Laxman Narasimhan. The company hopes that Brian Niccol, known for revitalizing brands—most notably Chipotle, where he oversaw a 773% increase in stock value—will bring a similar turnaround to Starbucks.
