Starbucks appoints Amazon's Anand Varadarajan as new CTO
What's the story
Starbucks has announced the appointment of Anand Varadarajan as its new Chief Technology Officer (CTO), effective January 19. The move comes as part of CEO Brian Niccol's strategy to modernize store operations and improve labor efficiency. Varadarajan will replace Deb Hall Lefevre, who resigned in September, with Ningyu Chen serving as interim CTO during the transition.
Professional background
Varadarajan's career trajectory
Before joining Starbucks, Varadarajan spent 19 years at Amazon leading technology and supply chain operations for its global grocery business. He has also worked at Oracle and held software engineering positions at several start-ups. His extensive experience in tech and supply chain management makes him a valuable addition to Starbucks's executive leadership team.
Personal details
Educational qualifications and interests
Varadarajan holds a Master of Science in Computer Science from the University of Washington and a Master's degree in Civil Engineering from Purdue University. He also has an undergraduate degree from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT). Outside work, he is an avid runner who hopes to finish all seven World Marathon Majors. He also loves coffee and starts his day with a tall latte or brewed coffee.