Starbucks has announced the appointment of Anand Varadarajan, a technology executive with nearly two decades of experience at Amazon, as its new Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer (CTO). Varadarajan, an Indian-origin professional, will assume his new role on January 19, 2026, reporting directly to Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol as a member of the company's Executive Leadership Team.
Varadarajan succeeds Deb Hall Lefevre, who retired in September 2025. Ningyu Chen served as interim CTO during the search for a permanent replacement. Niccol expressed his gratitude to Chen for his leadership during the transition.
Varadarajan brings extensive experience in developing secure and reliable systems and scaling technology to enhance operational efficiency, with a customer-centric approach. Starbucks anticipates that his appointment will accelerate its technology initiatives and strengthen its digital capabilities across its global operations. The company expects to further invest in digital tools and backend systems to streamline workflows, support staff, and improve the in-store experience, leveraging Varadarajan's expertise in these areas.
Prior to joining Starbucks, Varadarajan spent almost 19 years at Amazon, where he focused on building large-scale, customer-focused technology platforms. Most recently, he oversaw the technology and supply chain for Amazon's Worldwide Grocery Stores business. He also held software engineering positions at Oracle and worked with several startups.
According to Starbucks, Varadarajan knows how to create reliable and secure systems, drive operational excellence, and scale solutions that prioritize customers. Niccol emphasized Varadarajan's commitment to supporting and developing the individuals who build and enable the technology.
Varadarajan is an alumnus of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Madras, where he earned a Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering. 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.
Varadarajan's appointment comes at a time when Starbucks is focused on modernizing its stores, backend systems, and digital tools to improve efficiency, support staff, and enhance the in-store customer experience. His experience in building resilient, data-driven operating systems at scale, spanning omnichannel retail, logistics, AI-enabled forecasting, and large-scale transformation in complex, regulated environments, is expected to be invaluable to Starbucks.
Beyond his professional achievements, Varadarajan is described as an avid runner aiming to complete all seven World Marathon Majors. He is also a coffee enthusiast who enjoys a tall latte or brewed coffee, followed by Starbucks egg bites for lunch.
