Starbucks Corp yesterday announced a raft of management changes, including a beefing up of its team for the fast-growing China and Asia-Pacific region, where it plans to add about 600 new cafes this year.

The world's biggest coffee chain, which sees China overtaking Canada as its second-largest market in 2014, promoted John Culver to group president of its China and Asia-Pacific region, with Jeff Hansberry taking on Culver's former position of president of Starbucks' China and Asia-Pacific region.

Hansberry was previously in charge of channel development for consumer packaged goods and emerging brands, responsibility for which will switch to Culver.

Wang Jinlong will become chairman of Starbucks China and senior vice president of business development.

Nearly 3,300 of Starbucks' roughly 18,100 global cafes were in China and Asia-Pacific when its fiscal year ended on September 30.

Elsewhere, the company promoted Cliff Burrows to group president for the Americas, Europe, the Middle East and Africa as well as its newly acquired Teavana tea retail chain. Burrows previously was president of the Americas region.