United Airlines has appointed James T. Olson as senior vice president of Corporate Communications. Olson will join United on Feb. 1, reporting to Michael Bonds, executive vice president of Human Resources and Labor Relations.

Olson currently serves as vice president Global Corporate Communications at Starbucks Coffee company, where he has led the company's reputation-elevating corporate news agenda and brand protection capability since 2011. Prior to Starbucks, Olson was vice president Corporate Communications at US Airways, where he led the airline's internal, external and crisis communications functions, which included managing the response to the 2009 Hudson River emergency water landing of Flight 1549.