Wei Zhang
STARBUCKSAbout Wei Zhang
Wei Zhang, age 54, is an independent director of Starbucks (SBUX) who joined the board in 2023. She serves on the Audit Committee and the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, bringing deep expertise in e-commerce, digitization, and media/entertainment with significant China market experience; she holds a B.A. from Seton Hill University and an MBA from Harvard Business School . All SBUX director nominees other than the CEO are independent, and the board has determined independence under Nasdaq rules via its annual review process .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alibaba Pictures Group | Senior Advisor and President, led global operations | 2014–2021 | Drove digital/media strategy and growth initiatives |
| Alibaba Group | SVP Corporate Development; strategy, M&A, CSR roles | Joined 2008; subsequent six years in strategy/investment roles | Led strategic investment and M&A; corporate strategy |
| Star China (News Corp China subsidiary) | Chief Operating Officer | 2005–2008 | Oversaw day-to-day operations |
| CNBC China | Managing Director | 2002–2005 | Managed China operations |
| Bain & Company; General Electric | Various roles | Not disclosed | Strategy/operational foundations |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ralph Lauren Corporation | Director (public) | Since 2022 | Current public company directorship |
| Amblin Partners (previously) | Director | Not disclosed | Prior affiliation |
| Alibaba Pictures Group (previously) | Director | Not disclosed | Prior affiliation |
| Meituan Company (previously) | Director | Not disclosed | Prior affiliation |
| Los Angeles Sports and Entertainment Commissions (previously) | Director | Not disclosed | Prior affiliation |
| Jack Ma Foundation (previously) | Director | Not disclosed | Prior affiliation |
Board Governance
- Independence and refreshment: Wei Zhang is independent; the board has significantly refreshed composition in the last two years (five new independents since 2023) and will operate with nine directors post-2025 AGM .
- Committee assignments: Audit Committee (10 meetings in FY2024) and Nominating/Governance Committee (7 meetings in FY2024), indicating materially engaged assignments .
- Attendance: Each incumbent director attended at least 75% of board and assigned committee meetings; the board held 16 meetings in FY2024, with executive sessions of independent directors at each regularly scheduled meeting .
- Committee oversight:
- Audit oversees financial reporting, auditor relationship, internal audit, related-party review, and cybersecurity risk .
- Nominating/Governance oversees board leadership and composition, director compensation recommendations, political spending oversight, and shareholder proposals .
- Hedging/pledging: SBUX prohibits hedging and pledging by directors; no current director or executive has pledged shares .
Fixed Compensation (Non-Employee Director Program; FY2024 plan year)
| Element | Amount | Form | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual retainer | $130,000 | Cash or fully vested RSUs (director election) | Base director pay |
| Annual equity | $180,000 | Fully vested RSUs | Vests immediately upon grant |
| Additional retainer – Lead Independent Director/Chair | $185,000 | Cash or RSUs | Only if serving in these roles |
| Additional retainer – Audit Chair | $30,000 | Cash or RSUs | Chair only (no member fees) |
| Additional retainer – Comp/Impact/Nominating Chairs | $20,000 | Cash or RSUs | Chair only (no member fees) |
| Perquisites/meeting fees | None | — | No meeting fees, no perqs |
Director-specific FY2024 (reported compensation):
| Name | Fees Earned (Cash) | Stock Awards (Grant Date Fair Value) | Options | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wei Zhang | — | $309,917 | — | $309,917 |
- Program structure highlights: equity-heavy mix; annual equity fixed value; no performance-based equity for directors; robust stock ownership guidelines; no perquisites .
Performance Compensation
- Directors do not receive performance-based equity awards; equity grants are fully vested RSUs and not tied to performance metrics .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Sector | Potential Interlock/Conflict |
|---|---|---|
| Ralph Lauren Corporation (since 2022) | Consumer discretionary (apparel) | No related-party transactions with Starbucks disclosed |
- Related-party review: Audit Committee reviews and must pre-approve any related person transactions; SBUX generally avoids such transactions. FY2024 disclosures list only CEO aircraft time-sharing arrangements; no transactions involving Wei Zhang were disclosed .
Expertise & Qualifications
- Deep global and China market expertise; e-commerce and digitization leadership; media and entertainment background; senior leadership experience; board/public company experience .
- Education: B.A., Seton Hill University; MBA, Harvard Business School .
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Shares | Options | RSUs | Deferred Stock Units | Total Beneficial Ownership | % of Class |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wei Zhang | — | — | — | 5,304 | 5,304 | <1% |
- Ownership guidelines: Non-employee directors must hold stock equal to 5x annual retainer ($650,000) within five years; all current non-employee directors are in compliance or on track .
- Hedging/pledging: Prohibited; no pledges by directors reported .
- Section 16 compliance: SBUX reports timely Section 16 filings; no delinquency noted for Wei Zhang (one late Form 4 pertained to another director) .
Governance Assessment
- Board effectiveness: Zhang’s dual service on Audit and Nominating/Governance places her at the center of financial oversight and board composition/governance processes, supporting rigorous oversight of reporting, risk, and board refreshment .
- Independence and attendance: She is independent, and FY2024 board/committee attendance thresholds were met across incumbents, supporting investor confidence in engagement .
- Alignment: Director pay emphasizes equity and immediate vesting RSUs; the program excludes performance-based equity and perqs, and includes strong ownership guidelines—fostering alignment without encouraging short-term risk-taking .
- Conflicts/related-party risk: No related-party transactions involving Wei Zhang disclosed; robust policy and Audit Committee oversight reduce conflict risk .
- RED FLAGS: None disclosed for Wei Zhang. No low attendance flags; no related-party transactions; hedging/pledging prohibited and none reported; Section 16 compliance intact .