United Airlines has tapped a top Starbucks executive to lead its corporate communications strategy.
The carrier has named James Olson as new senior vice president of corporate communications.
Olson will start February 1, and replaces Irene Foxhall, who left during the ousting of former CEO Jeff Smisek last year.
Olson was vice president of global corporate communications at Seattle based Starbucks, and has previous experience in the aviation industry.
He was vice president of corporate communications at US Airways prior to joining Starbucks.
"It was clear to us that Jim possesses the leadership, forward-thinking and global perspective to create the state-of-the-art communications capability necessary to help position United for the long runway of opportunity ahead of us," said Michael Bonds, United’s executive vice president of human resources and labor relations.
