Mike Sievert
STARBUCKSAbout Mike Sievert
Mike Sievert, age 55, is an independent director of Starbucks (SBUX) since 2024 and currently serves as CEO, President, and Director of T-Mobile US, Inc. He holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from the Wharton School (1991) and brings deep senior leadership, brand/technology, and human capital experience from large consumer and tech companies . The Board specifically determined Sievert is independent; it reviewed ordinary-course payments between Starbucks and T-Mobile and found they were significantly less than 1% of T-Mobile’s revenues, Sievert had no direct involvement, and the transactions were not related party under SEC rules .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| T-Mobile US, Inc. | CEO (since Apr 1, 2020), President & COO/Director (2018–2020); COO (2015–2018); EVP & CMO (2012–2015) | 2012–present | Led post-Sprint merger integration; long-tenured operator in Seattle tech ecosystem |
| Discovery Bay Games | Senior executive | 2012 | Consumer technology leadership |
| Clearwire (now part of T-Mobile) | Senior executive | 2009–2011 | Wireless industry experience |
| Microsoft Corporation | Senior executive | 2005–2008 | Technology and brand experience |
| AT&T Wireless | Senior executive | 2002–2004 | Telecom operations |
| E*Trade Financial | Senior executive | 1998–2001 | Consumer finance/tech |
| Switchbox Labs (sold to Lenovo) | Co-founder & CEO (sold to Lenovo; brief service post-acquisition) | 2008–2009 | Entrepreneurial leadership |
| Procter & Gamble; IBM | Early management roles | — | Foundational consumer/technology training |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| T-Mobile US, Inc. | Director | Since 2018 | Public company board experience |
| Shaw Communications, Inc. | Director | 2018–2023 | Telecom governance |
| T-Mobile USA Foundation | President & Director (previously) | — | Philanthropy leadership |
Board Governance
- Committee assignments: Member, Compensation and Management Development Committee (Compensation Committee). The Committee met 5 times in FY2024; members meet heightened SEC/Nasdaq independence criteria .
- Independence: Board determined Sievert is independent after reviewing Starbucks–T-Mobile ordinary-course payments (<1% of T-Mobile revenues; not a related party; no direct involvement) .
- Attendance and engagement: In FY2024, each incumbent director attended at least 75% of Board/committee meetings; the Board held 16 meetings, and all directors attended the 2024 Annual Meeting. Independent directors (including committee chairs) participated in nearly 30 investor meetings representing 42% of shares outstanding .
- Board leadership context: Board Chair is Brian Niccol; Lead Independent Director transitioned from Mellody Hobson to Jørgen Vig Knudstorp post-Annual Meeting with duties including executive session leadership and shareholder liaison .
Fixed Compensation
| Component | FY2024 Plan Year Amount | Form/Terms | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual retainer | $130,000 | Lump-sum cash or fully-vested RSUs (director’s election) | Emphasis on equity; no meeting fees/perquisites |
| Annual equity grant | $180,000 | Fully-vested RSUs | Fixed value; immediate vesting |
| Additional retainer – Lead Independent Director | $185,000 | Cash or fully-vested RSUs | Applies only if serving as LID/Chair |
| Additional retainer – Audit Chair | $30,000 | Cash or fully-vested RSUs | Chairs only (no extra for members) |
| Additional retainer – Comp/Impact/Nominating Chairs | $20,000 | Cash or fully-vested RSUs | Chairs only |
Fiscal year 2024 non-employee director compensation (individual):
| Name | Fees Earned in Cash ($) | Stock Awards ($) | Option Awards ($) | Total ($) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mike Sievert | — | 373,602 | — | 373,602 |
Notes:
- For Sievert, FY2024 stock awards include RSUs granted on January 16, 2024 and March 13, 2024; cash retainer often elected as RSUs (fees column “—”) under the program design .
Performance Compensation
| Item | FY2024 Design |
|---|---|
| Performance-based awards | None; directors do not receive performance-based equity. Annual equity grants have fixed value and vest immediately . |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Overlap/Relationship | Board Determination |
|---|---|---|
| T-Mobile US, Inc. (Sievert CEO/Director) | Starbucks has ordinary-course payments with T-Mobile in FY2024 | Payments significantly <1% of T-Mobile revenues; Sievert not directly involved; not a related party transaction; independence not impaired |
- No compensation committee interlocks: No member of the Compensation Committee was an officer/employee of Starbucks in FY2024, and no Starbucks executive served on a board or compensation committee of another entity with reciprocal executive ties to Starbucks’ Compensation Committee members .
Expertise & Qualifications
- Public company board and senior leadership experience across global consumer and technology sectors; strengths in brand marketing, technology/digital, financial/capital allocation, human capital management, and international operations .
- Seattle-area operating experience, relevant to Starbucks’ heritage and stakeholder context .
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Shares | Options | RSUs | Deferred Stock Units | Total Beneficial Ownership | % of Class |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mike Sievert | 4,070 | — | — | — | 4,070 | * (<1%) |
- Non-employee director ownership guideline: At least 5x annual retainer ($650,000) in Company stock; directors have five years to comply. As of the proxy date, all current non-employee directors are in compliance or on target to meet guidelines .
Governance Assessment
- Board effectiveness: Sievert’s presence on the Compensation Committee (5 meetings, heightened independence standards) supports oversight of executive pay, HCM, succession, and risk—key to investor confidence .
- Independence and conflicts: The Board’s formal independence review specifically addressed Starbucks–T-Mobile payments and found no impairment; monitor ongoing commercial ties for changes in magnitude or involvement. No compensation committee interlocks disclosed in FY2024 .
- Alignment signals: Director pay emphasizes equity with immediate vesting and optional retainer-in-RSUs; robust ownership guideline ($650k) with five-year compliance window. Sievert’s current beneficial ownership is 4,070 shares, with the proxy stating directors are in compliance or on target overall—continue to track progress toward guideline for alignment depth .
- Attendance/engagement: Board-wide attendance ≥75% and strong investor outreach (independent directors/committee chairs in ~30 meetings, covering ~42% of shares outstanding) signal active oversight and shareholder engagement culture .
RED FLAGS / Monitoring items:
- Business relationship with T-Mobile (supplier/customer) requires periodic reassessment for scale/materiality and Sievert’s involvement to maintain independence optics .
- Beneficial ownership currently modest relative to the $650k guideline; while the five-year window applies and the proxy notes compliance/on-target status, investors may watch for increasing personal holdings over time to reinforce alignment .