Michele Waits

Michele Waits has a diverse and extensive work experience spanning various industries and roles. Michele most recently held the position of Chief Marketing Officer at United Olive Oil Import Corp. Prior to that, they served as the Chief Marketing Officer at BIGGBY COFFEE.

From 2020 to 2022, Michele worked at illycaffè North America, Inc. as the Vice President of Marketing & Commercial Support. In this role, they were responsible for leading the brand and trade marketing, sales planning, and business intelligence for the super-premium illy Italian coffee brand across multiple channels. Michele reported directly to the President, North America.

Before joining illycaffè, Michele had a long tenure at Starbucks, where they held various senior executive positions. From 2016 to 2019, they served as the Vice President of Asia Pacific Retail Marketing, overseeing product management, marketing campaigns, strategic plans, and consumer insights for the $1 billion Starbucks business in 14 Asian markets. Michele also led the global product innovation strategy for the Tea category from 2014 to 2016, and managed the US CPG & Food Services Marketing team from 2008 to 2014.

Prior to Starbucks, Michele gained experience in the pharmaceutical industry working at Pfizer as a Marketing Director for the Alzheimer's treatment, Aricept. Michele managed a $100 million marketing budget and oversaw the development of TV and digital campaigns.

Michele's earlier career includes a role as a Product Manager to Marketing Director at Gerber Baby Food & Personal Care at Novartis, and an Assistant Account Executive position at Leo Burnett.

Overall, Michele Waits has demonstrated their expertise in marketing and brand management across various industries throughout their career.

Michele Waits has a diverse education history. Michele obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and Japanese from the University of Michigan from 1987 to 1991. Prior to their undergraduate studies, they attended Interlochen Arts Academy from 1985 to 1987, where they focused on violin performance during their high school years. Later, they pursued further education at the University of Michigan - Stephen M. Ross School of Business, earning a Master of Business Administration (MBA) with a specialization in Marketing/General Management from 1994 to 1996. Additionally, they completed another MBA program from the same institution, specializing in Marketing and General Management, although the specific duration of this program is unknown.