Takafumi Minaguchi

Takafumi Minaguchi is representative director and chief executive of Starbucks Coffee Japan (the Japanese legal entity of Starbucks Corporation), a position he has held since June 2016. As Starbucks first market outside of North America, Japan has been the foundation for the company’s international growth and its 1,200 stores represent a key strategic market in the China and Asia Pacific region.

Taka’s leads Starbucks efforts to expand its presence in Japan and make a positive difference in the communities the company serves. He is involved in Youth Connection, which invites Japanese high school students to lead a community activity in Starbucks stores. Starbucks Japan also supports an education fund for students who lost their parents in 2011 earthquake and tsunami.

He joined Starbucks Japan in 2014 as chief operating officer, leading the operations, store development and the marketing and category organizations.

Prior to Starbucks, Taka held a number of executive roles in 13 years with luxury retailer Louis Vuitton Japan. Most recently, he was the President and CEO of Loewe Japan/Korea, from 2010 to 2014, where he was instrumental in transforming the Loewe brand, developing innovative store concepts and creating processes to elevate the customer experience.

Taka received his B.A. from Sophia University in Tokyo and earned an MBA in Bocconi School of Management in Milan, Italy.