Ricardo Arias-Nath leads a vibrant region of over 1,600 stores in more than 20 markets. He’s passionate about expanding the Starbucks Experience while honouring the company’s deep-rooted connection to the region, where it has sourced high-quality arabica coffee since opening its first café in Seattle in 1971.
Ricardo Arias. Image: Starbucks
Ricardo joined Starbucks in June 2024 and brings more than 25 years of expertise in general management, strategy, marketing and business transformation, underpinned by a profound knowledge of the fast-moving consumer goods, media, distribution and technology sectors.
Previously at PepsiCo, Ricardo drove the “Farm to Shelf” strategy across Latin America for both food and beverage portfolios. At PepsiCo, he held a variety of roles including being the SVP of strategy and transformation, chief marketing officer for beverages, and franchise general manager, where he contributed to regional growth initiatives.
Ricardo’s career commenced at The Procter & Gamble Company, where he occupied various roles in marketing and finance. In 2000, he ventured into entrepreneurship as co-founder and CEO of Tokenzone, a pioneering entity in the digital asset space (NFTs), collaborating with major global media brands. He is an alumnus of Stanford University, holding a Master of Science in Operations Research and earned his undergraduate degree in economics from Universidad Católica Andrés Bello in Venezuela.
