Anand Varadarajan, the Indian-origin tech executive, has been appointed by global coffeehouse chain Starbucks as its new Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer (CTO). Anand brings nearly two decades of experience at Amazon to oversee the company’s worldwide technology operations.
Anand Varadarajan Replaces Deb Hall Lefevre
Varadarajan replaces Deb Hall Lefevre, who retired from the role in September. Following her departure, Starbucks appointed Ningyu Chen as interim CTO while it searched for a permanent successor. According to a company statement, Varadarajan will assume his new role on January 19. He will join Starbucks’ Executive Leadership Team and report directly to Chief Executive Officer Brian Niccol.
Announcing the appointment, Starbucks said Varadarajan brings extensive experience in building secure and reliable systems and in scaling technology to support operational excellence, while maintaining a strong focus on customer experience.
“With him on board, Starbucks is expected to further invest in digital tools and backend systems designed to streamline workflows, support staff and enhance the in-store experience,” the company said, pointing to similar technology platforms Varadarajan helped develop during his tenure at Amazon.
Who Is Anand Varadarajan?
Varadarajan is an alumnus of several prestigious institutions in India and abroad. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Madras.
He also holds a Master’s degree in Civil Engineering from Purdue University and a Master’s degree in Computer Science from the University of Washington.
Nearly 19 Years at Amazon
Varadarajan spent close to 19 years at Amazon, where he played a key role in building large-scale, customer-focused technology platforms. Most recently, he oversaw technology and supply chain operations for Amazon’s Worldwide Grocery Stores business.
Before joining Amazon, he worked as a software engineer at Oracle and also held roles across several startups.
Starbucks Goes For Digital Overhaul
Starbucks said Varadarajan’s appointment is expected to accelerate its technology initiatives and strengthen digital capabilities across its global business, particularly as the company focuses on modernising operations and improving efficiency.
His hiring comes amid Starbucks’ technology-driven “Back to Starbucks” initiative. As previously reported by Reuters, Deb Hall Lefevre stepped down as CTO during this digital overhaul, even though no permanent replacement had been finalised at the time, according to an internal memo seen by the agency.
Leadership Changes At Starbucks
Hall Lefevre’s resignation followed a period of significant restructuring at Starbucks. The company had announced plans to lay off around 900 non-retail employees and shut down underperforming stores in the United States and Canada. Earlier, in February, Starbucks had already reduced its corporate workforce by 1,100 professionals.
These changes were driven by CEO Brian Niccol, who joined Starbucks last year and has been steering the company toward becoming more technologically advanced as part of its broader transformation strategy.
Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
