Multinational coffeehouse chain Starbucks has appointed Indian-origin technology executive Anand Varadarajan as its new executive vice president and chief technology officer (CTO), entrusting the two-decade Amazon veteran with overseeing the beverage giant’s global technology operations.
According to a Starbucks statement quoted by news agency PTI, Varadarajan will assume the role of the new executive on January 19. He will join the company’s Executive Leadership Team and report directly to Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Brian Niccol.
Varadarajan has been tapped as a replacement for Deb Hall Lefevre, who retired in September this year. After her exit, Starbucks appointed Ningyu Chen as interim chief technology officer while it searched for a permanent replacement.
Starbucks stated in the announcement that Varadarajan brings deep experience in developing secure, reliable systems and scaling technology to support operational excellence, while keeping customers at the centre.
With him on board, the company is expected to further invest in digital tools and backend systems designed to streamline workflows, support staff and enhance the in-store experience, something he helped build for Amazon.
Who is Anand Varadarajan, the new Starbucks CTO?
Anand Varadarajan is an alumnus of many prestigious institutions in India and abroad, including the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Madras, having earned a Bachelor’s in Civil Engineering from the premier college.
He holds a master’s degree in civil engineering from Purdue University and a master’s degree in computer science from the University of Washington.
Varadarajan spent close to 19 years at Jeff Bezos’ Amazon, building large-scale, customer-focused technology platforms. He most recently oversaw the technology and supply chain for the multinational giant’s Worldwide Grocery Stores business.
Before joining Amazon, he also worked as a software engineer at Oracle and with several startups, showing his extensive experience in working in different environments.
Starbucks said Varadarajan’s appointment as the company’s CTO is expected to accelerate its technology initiatives and strengthen digital capabilities across its global business.
