Starbucks to move European headquarters to Britain

Coffeehouse company Starbucks Corporation announced Wednesday to move its European headquarters from Amsterdam to London by the end of the year. According to a statement from the company, some senior executives based in Amsterdam would transfer to London following the move. Britain has more than half of Starbucks' European stores with more than 7,500 employees. "Closer proximity to our biggest market will be critical to our success as we grow our business across Europe and the globe," said Kris Engskov, the company's new president of the Europe, the Middle East and Asia. The company said it plans to open over 100 retail stores and create 1,000 new, permanent jobs across Britain this year. Meanwhile, the company will continue to employ over 200 people in Amsterdam. Starbucks has more than 2,000 stores in 35 countries in Europe, while the number around the world is more than 19,000 retail stores in over 60 countries.