Howard Schultz, The Starbucks executive chairman, who oversaw the evolution of the coffeehouse into a global powerhouse, said he is quitting the company after nearly four decades.
Mr Schultz, who retired as chief executive last year, is to leave his seat on the board on 26 June.
In an interview with the New York Times, Mr Schultz did not rule out a run for president.
"One of the things I want to do in my next chapter is to figure out if there is a role I can play in giving back," he said.
"I'm not exactly sure what that means yet."
He added: "I want to be of service to our country, but that doesn't mean I need to run for public office to accomplish that."
