James Quincey and Howard Schultz
James Quincey and Howard Schultz have led two of the world’s most famous drink brands. Quincey ran The Coca-Cola Company as CEO from 2017 until 2026 and pushed it beyond soda into coffee, juice, and sports drinks. Schultz turned Starbucks from a small Seattle coffee seller into a global chain with tens of thousands of stores.
Their worlds collided when Coca-Cola bought Costa Coffee in 2019, putting it in direct competition with Starbucks. This guide compares James Quincey and Howard Schultz across their lives, careers, and leadership styles.
James Quincey and Howard Schultz at a Glance
| Detail | James Quincey | Howard Schultz |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | James Robert Quincey | Howard D. Schultz |
| Born | January 8, 1965, London, England | July 19, 1953, Brooklyn, New York |
| Age | 61 (as of November 2026) | 73 (as of November 2026) |
| Education | University of Liverpool (BEng in electronic engineering) | Northern Michigan University (BS in communications, 1975) |
| Company | The Coca-Cola Company | Starbucks |
| Top role | CEO (2017 to 2026); chairman | Chairman and CEO (several terms) |
| Big move | Buying Costa Coffee (2019) | Buying Starbucks (1987) |
| Wealth | Wealthy executive | Billionaire |
Who Is James Quincey?
James Quincey was born in London and grew up partly in the United States and the United Kingdom. He studied electronic engineering at the University of Liverpool. He began his career in strategy consulting at Bain and Company and later worked at a consulting firm in Latin America.
He joined Coca-Cola in 1996 in Latin America and rose through leadership roles in Mexico, South America, and Europe. He became president and chief operating officer in 2015 and CEO in May 2017. He later also became chairman.
As CEO, Quincey called Coca-Cola a “total beverage company.” He cut weaker brands, sold company owned bottlers, and pushed into new drinks. He bought Costa Coffee for about $5.1 billion in 2019, took a stake in BodyArmor and later bought it outright, and expanded low sugar and zero sugar drinks. In December 2025, Coca-Cola announced that chief operating officer Henrique Braun would succeed him as CEO in 2026, with Quincey becoming executive chairman.
Who Is Howard Schultz?
Howard Schultz grew up in public housing in Brooklyn. He won a football scholarship to Northern Michigan University, becoming the first in his family to go to college. After working at Xerox and a housewares company, he joined Starbucks in 1982 as head of marketing.
A trip to Milan in 1983 inspired him to bring Italian style espresso bars to America. When Starbucks’s owners didn’t want to change, he started his own coffee chain, Il Giornale. In 1987, he bought Starbucks with investors and merged the two.
He grew Starbucks into a global brand with tens of thousands of stores. He served as CEO from 1987 to 2000, returned from 2008 to 2017 to rescue the company during the financial crisis, and returned again as interim CEO from 2022 to 2023. He also became known for offering health benefits and stock to part time workers. In 2019, he explored running for president as an independent but dropped the idea. Starbucks named Brian Niccol CEO in 2024.
What Connects James Quincey and Howard Schultz?
The biggest link between James Quincey and Howard Schultz is coffee:
- Costa Coffee: In 2019, Quincey’s Coca-Cola bought Costa Coffee, Britain’s largest coffee chain and a direct rival to Starbucks.
- Ready to drink coffee: Both companies compete in bottled and canned coffee in stores.
- Global drink brands: Coca-Cola and Starbucks are two of the most recognized drink brands on Earth.
- Leaders through change: Both led their companies through the pandemic and shifts in customer habits.
There’s no known close personal relationship between them.
Career Comparison
| Area | James Quincey | Howard Schultz |
|---|---|---|
| Path | Professional executive | Founder style builder |
| Joined company | 1996 | 1982 |
| Became CEO | 2017 | 1987 |
| Biggest move | Costa Coffee and “total beverage” strategy | Building Starbucks worldwide |
| Successor | Henrique Braun | Brian Niccol (2024) |
Early Lives in Detail
Quincey’s childhood was split between countries, which helped him later run businesses in many regions. He has said that his engineering training taught him to break problems into parts and solve them step by step.
Schultz grew up poor. His father, a truck driver, was injured on the job and lost his income, with no health insurance or workers’ compensation. Schultz has said that memory shaped his decision to offer benefits to Starbucks employees.
Leadership Styles
Quincey is known as a calm strategist who focuses on portfolios, data, and long term growth. He has pushed Coca-Cola to experiment and accept that some new drinks will fail.
Schultz is known as a passionate, emotional leader who talks often about values, community, and the “third place” between home and work. He has also faced criticism over Starbucks’s response to union drives in recent years.
Similarities
- Global brands: Both led companies known everywhere.
- Coffee bets: Both see coffee as a big growth area.
- Long tenures: Both spent decades at their companies.
Differences
| Area | James Quincey | Howard Schultz |
|---|---|---|
| Background | British engineer | American from public housing |
| Role | Hired leader | Owner builder |
| Wealth | Multimillionaire | Billionaire |
| Public profile | Business leader | Business celebrity |
Wealth Comparison
Quincey earned large pay as Coca-Cola’s CEO, often reported at more than $20 million in a year. His net worth is not public. Schultz is a billionaire, with a fortune often estimated at about $3 billion or more from his Starbucks stake.
Timeline at a Glance
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1953 | Schultz is born in Brooklyn |
| 1965 | Quincey is born in London |
| 1982 | Schultz joins Starbucks |
| 1987 | Schultz buys Starbucks |
| 1996 | Quincey joins Coca-Cola |
| 2008 | Schultz returns as Starbucks CEO |
| 2017 | Quincey becomes Coca-Cola CEO; Schultz steps down |
| 2019 | Coca-Cola buys Costa Coffee |
| 2022 | Schultz returns as interim CEO |
| 2024 | Brian Niccol becomes Starbucks CEO |
| 2026 | Henrique Braun succeeds Quincey as Coca-Cola CEO |
Lessons From Their Careers
- Think beyond your core. Quincey moved Coca-Cola beyond soda.
- Find inspiration abroad. Schultz’s Milan trip shaped Starbucks.
- Take care of workers. Schultz’s benefits policy became famous.
- Plan succession. Quincey handed over to a chosen successor.
Why People Compare Them
People pair these names because both led giant drink companies, and both now compete in coffee. Comparing them shows the difference between a hired strategist and a founder style builder.
Where They Stand in 2026
Quincey has handed the CEO role to Henrique Braun and serves as executive chairman. Schultz is no longer running Starbucks day to day but remains a major shareholder and a well known voice in business.
Final Comparison
Quincey’s legacy is reshaping Coca-Cola into a wider drinks company with coffee, sports drinks, and low sugar options. Schultz’s legacy is creating the modern coffee shop experience and building one of the world’s most famous brands. One expanded an old giant, and the other built a new one.
How to Learn More
Read Schultz’s books Pour Your Heart Into It and Onward. Coca-Cola’s investor site and annual reports explain Quincey’s strategy.
Fun Facts
- Schultz was inspired by espresso bars in Milan.
- Quincey studied electronic engineering.
- Coca-Cola paid about $5.1 billion for Costa Coffee.
- Schultz served three terms leading Starbucks.
Personal Lives
Quincey keeps his family life private. He has lived in Atlanta, where Coca-Cola is based, for many years. Schultz has been married to Sheri Kersch Schultz since 1982, and they have two children. The couple runs the Schultz Family Foundation, which supports veterans and young people looking for jobs.
Quick Verdict
Quincey is the strategist who modernized a 140 year old brand without losing its core. Schultz is the visionary who turned coffee into a daily ritual for millions. Both changed the drinks business, and both proved that great brands need constant reinvention.
How to Compare Their Strategies
Quincey’s approach was portfolio based. He treated Coca-Cola like a collection of brands that could be added, tested, or dropped based on results. Schultz’s approach was experience based. He focused on the feel of the store, the training of baristas, and the bond with customers. Both strategies worked in their own ways and reflect the different businesses they ran.
Frequently Asked Questions
What links James Quincey and Howard Schultz? Coffee. Quincey’s Coca-Cola bought Costa Coffee, a rival to Schultz’s Starbucks.
Is James Quincey still Coca-Cola’s CEO? No. Henrique Braun succeeded him as CEO in 2026, and Quincey became executive chairman.
Who is richer? Howard Schultz, a billionaire.
Who runs Starbucks now? Brian Niccol, who became CEO in 2024.
Final Thoughts
James Quincey and Howard Schultz shaped how the world drinks. Quincey modernized Coca-Cola, and Schultz built Starbucks into a global habit. Their paths meet in the coffee aisle and the coffee shop.
Key Takeaways
- James Quincey and Howard Schultz are linked by coffee competition.
- Quincey’s Coca-Cola bought Costa Coffee for about $5.1 billion in 2019.
- Schultz bought Starbucks in 1987 and led it for three terms.
- Henrique Braun succeeded Quincey as Coca-Cola CEO in 2026.
- James Quincey and Howard Schultz both led iconic global drink brands.
- Schultz is a billionaire, while Quincey is a highly paid executive.
