As the coffee giant brings the personal touch back to its stores, Chief Technology Officer Deb Hall Lefevre's role is more important than ever.

Global coffee giant Starbucks (NASDAQ:SBUX) is finding itself in unfamiliar territory. With over 40,000 stores worldwide, it needs to navigate a turbulent market as it grapples with declining sales and customer goodwill.

Starbucks (SBUX) has contacted private equity and technology firms as it considers options for its China business, Bloomberg News reported early Thursday, prompting reactions from Stocktwits users. The coffee chain has struggled to reignite growth amid intense competition from rival cafes worldwide and a pullback in consumer discretionary

The new dress code is one of several changes Starbucks is implementing this year in an effort to get back to its “community coffeeshop roots.” In January, the coffee chain announced a number of new policies, including a new code of conduct.

Starbucks may have a strong international presence these days, but when it opened its first location outside North America, it faced some challenges.

The FARM Rio + Starbucks collection celebrates Starbucks' rich coffee culture while incorporating FARM Rio's artistic style