Starbucks has named Indian-origin technology executive Anand Varadarajan as its new Chief Technology Officer, bringing nearly two decades of Amazon expertise to drive the company’s digital transformation efforts.

Varadarajan will assume the role of Executive Vice President and CTO on January 19, 2026, joining Starbucks’ Executive Leadership Team and reporting directly to CEO Brian Niccol. The appointment comes as part of Niccol’s strategic push to modernize store operations and enhance operational efficiency across the company’s global network.

During his 19-year tenure at Amazon, Varadarajan built large-scale, customer-focused technology platforms and most recently led technology and supply chain operations for Amazon’s Worldwide Grocery Stores business. His experience spans managing complex retail operations, logistics systems, and digital infrastructure at global scale. Prior to Amazon, he worked as a software engineer at Oracle and held positions with several startups.

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Varadarajan succeeds Deb Hall Lefevre, who retired in September. Ningyu Chen served as interim CTO during the transition period, maintaining continuity in technology leadership.

An alumnus of the Indian Institute of Technology, Varadarajan holds master’s degrees in civil engineering from Purdue University and computer science from the University of Washington.

The appointment signals Starbucks’ commitment to accelerating its technology initiatives and strengthening digital capabilities as it seeks to improve customer experience and operational performance in an increasingly competitive market.

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