Starbucks CTO departs amid 6 quarters of declining sales

Business Sep 27, 2025

Starbucks's Chief Technology Officer, Deb Hall Lefevre, has resigned.
Ningyu Chen, who previously led global experience tech at Starbucks, is stepping in as interim CTO.
The move comes while the company faces six straight quarters of falling sales and looks to refresh how its stores operate.

Starbucks is rolling out new tech to boost efficiency

Starbucks is rolling out new tech—think AI tools for inventory and barista support—to boost efficiency under its "Back to Starbucks" plan.
But it's not just about gadgets: the company will close underperforming stores (shrinking its US and Canada footprint by 1% by the end of 2025), cut 900 non-retail jobs, and shift more IT work to Tata Consultancy Services—all aimed at getting growth back on track.