Starbucks's CTO leaves amid CEO Niccol's tech overhaul push
Big changes at Starbucks: their Chief Technology Officer, Deb Hall Lefevre, has stepped down.
CFO Cathy Smith shared that Ningyu Chen will step in as interim CTO.
This move comes as CEO Brian Niccol pushes to modernize Starbucks's tech and rethink how the company runs.
Starbucks is rolling out its "Back to Starbucks" plan
Starbucks is rolling out its "Back to Starbucks" plan to fight slowing sales.
They're adding AI tools—like smart inventory counters and digital assistants for baristas—and trimming about 1% of stores in the US and Canada by 2025.
Around 900 non-retail jobs are also being cut, with staff already informed.
Despite earlier IT layoffs, Starbucks has given Tata Consultancy Services an increasing role in its IT division.
And while S&P 500 stocks climbed this past year, Starbucks shares actually dropped over 12%.