Starbucks names Indian-origin technology expert Anand Varadarajan as new CTO
PTC Web Desk: Global coffee chain Starbucks has appointed Anand Varadarajan, an Indian-origin technology expert, as its new executive vice president and chief technology officer (CTO). He is known for his strong experience in building and managing large digital systems.
Varadarajan will start his new role on January 19. He will be part of Starbucks’ Executive Leadership Team and will report directly to CEO Brian Niccol. He replaces Deb Hall Lefevre, who retired from the position in September.
Before joining Starbucks, Varadarajan worked at Amazon for nearly 19 years in several senior roles. Most recently, he handled technology and supply chain operations for Amazon’s Worldwide Grocery Stores business. Earlier, he worked as a software engineer at Oracle and was also associated with a few startup companies.
Starbucks said Varadarajan’s experience in creating secure, reliable and scalable technology systems will help improve the company’s digital operations while keeping customer experience at the centre.
Varadarajan studied at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT). He has a master’s degree in civil engineering from Purdue University and another master’s degree in computer science from the University of Washington.
- With inputs from agencies
