Costa Coffee Appoints New Chief People Officer

Costa Coffee has appointed Jez Langhorn as its Chief People Officer, following the retirement of former Chief People Officer Jonathan Crookall. 

With significant people leadership experience across global consumer facing businesses such as Starbucks and McDonald’s, Jez joins the company during a period of growth, as it expands its drive-thru footprint and high street presence. 

The company has also appointed Matthew Sisk as its new Chief Financial Officer, effective 1 September.

Philippe Schaillee, CEO of Costa, described Jez and Matthew as “brilliant,” following their appointments, saying that it was “a great moment to join Costa and be part of the next inflection in our growth journey”. 

Building great team experiences

Before joining Costa, Jez had spent close to two years at Starbucks, where he was the Senior Vice President of HR in North America. Prior to that, he spent more than a year as Chief Human Resources Officer at Global Partners, and over 17 years at McDonald’s – which he first joined as Head of Talent and Education. 

During his time at McDonald’s, Jez led turnaround efforts in the US, implemented digital initiatives such as a new recruitment ATS system and launched an employer reputation campaign cross functionally with HR, communications and marketing teams. 

“After 11 wonderful years in the US, this role brings me home to the UK and to a brand built on something I’ve believed in throughout my career: great customer experiences start with great team experiences,” he says. 

His appointment comes as Costa is in the process of growing its retail headcount – with the company aiming to open 40 drive-thru locations in 2026. The company has also committed £3.5m (US$4.67bn) to open 10 new stores in 2026, which will create more than 70 jobs across the country. 

“We’re proud to be investing not only in new locations, but also in enhancing existing stores and creating valuable jobs and careers in communities across the country,” says Laura Crow, Regional Operations Director for Scotland and North England at Costa Coffee. “We see strong growth opportunities in Scotland and remain focused on delivering great coffee experiences with heart in locations that are convenient and accessible for our customers.”

Leadership shifts at Costa

Costa’s incoming Chief Financial Officer also comes from a strong background to support the company’s next phase of growth – having spent more than 21 years in financial leadership roles at Coca-Cola. 

He most recently held the role of CFO and Representative Director for the company’s Japan and Korea operating unit, in which he led finance strategy, operating performance and governance, as well as partnering with other business leaders to improve performance and support long-term value creation for the company. 

The company has also been expanding its wider HR leadership team. 

Costa recently promoted Olivia Sarson, formerly Global Talent Acquisition Manager, to the role of Global Head of Talent Acquisition. Commenting on the appointment, Olivia said she was “excited to continue helping shape our talent agenda and supporting Costa’s future growth”.