Michael Watson

vice president, Partner Resources

Michael Watson (he/him) is vice president, Partner Resources at Starbucks Canada. In this role, Michael helps elevate partner (employee) wellbeing holistically, advance inclusion & diversity, and ensure partners have the support to develop, lead and grow at Starbucks, all while embedding and nurturing our Mission & Values. 

Michael brings both passion for helping others succeed and an incredible depth of experience to Starbucks. Throughout his career, Michael has contributed to the success of many notable retailers, both as a human resources and a retail operations executive, most recently serving as vice president, people, for Supply Chain and Retail Operations at Walmart Canada. Michael and his teams have designed and launched leading strategies supporting Learning & Development, Inclusion & Diversity, operations and cultural transformations that have had profound impacts on both engagement and business success.  

One of his proudest career milestones was supporting the launch of Bath & Body Works in Canada where he had the opportunity to cultivate an organization and a team from the ground up. His focus was fostering a culture centered on genuine connection and an unwavering commitment to customer satisfaction while also rapidly growing their team and their store portfolio. 

Michael shares his life in Caledon, Ontario with his partner Jason, and their cocker spaniel Charlie. A true foodie with a passion for cooking, Michael’s favourite Starbucks beverage is the Holiday Gingerbread Chai Tea Latte, which he always orders hot. You can often find him enjoying one while listening to a good audio book, '80s and '90s retro new wave, or the nightly news.