Starbucks appoints Amazon veteran Anand Varadarajan as Chief Technology Officer
The coffee giant is strengthening its technology leadership as it looks to modernise store operations.
- Dec 22, 2025,
- Updated Dec 22, 2025 8:31 AM IST
Starbucks has named Anand Varadarajan as its new chief technology officer, with the appointment set to take effect on January 19. The move comes as chief executive Brian Niccol continues to push a broader technology overhaul aimed at improving labour efficiency across the company’s stores.
Varadarajan steps into the role following the departure of Deb Hall Lefevre, who stepped down in September. After her exit, Starbucks appointed Ningyu Chen as interim chief technology officer while it searched for a permanent replacement.
Before joining Starbucks, Varadarajan spent 19 years at Amazon, where he led technology and supply chain operations for the company’s global grocery business. His career also includes a stint at Oracle, giving him deep experience across enterprise software, logistics and large-scale retail systems.
The leadership change aligns with Starbucks’ recent operational reset. In late October, the company reported its first quarter of comparable sales growth in nearly 18 months, signalling early progress in Niccol’s turnaround strategy in the United States.
With Varadarajan taking charge of technology, Starbucks is expected to further invest in digital tools and backend systems designed to streamline workflows, support staff and enhance the in-store experience.
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Starbucks has named Anand Varadarajan as its new chief technology officer, with the appointment set to take effect on January 19. The move comes as chief executive Brian Niccol continues to push a broader technology overhaul aimed at improving labour efficiency across the company’s stores.
Varadarajan steps into the role following the departure of Deb Hall Lefevre, who stepped down in September. After her exit, Starbucks appointed Ningyu Chen as interim chief technology officer while it searched for a permanent replacement.
Before joining Starbucks, Varadarajan spent 19 years at Amazon, where he led technology and supply chain operations for the company’s global grocery business. His career also includes a stint at Oracle, giving him deep experience across enterprise software, logistics and large-scale retail systems.
The leadership change aligns with Starbucks’ recent operational reset. In late October, the company reported its first quarter of comparable sales growth in nearly 18 months, signalling early progress in Niccol’s turnaround strategy in the United States.
With Varadarajan taking charge of technology, Starbucks is expected to further invest in digital tools and backend systems designed to streamline workflows, support staff and enhance the in-store experience.
For Unparalleled coverage of India's Businesses and Economy – Subscribe to Business Today Magazine