Anand Varadarajan Education and Career: IIT Madras Alumnus Appointed New Starbucks CTO

Global coffee giant Starbucks has appointed Anand Varadarajan as its new Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer (CTO), marking a key move in the company’s push to strengthen its digital and technology capabilities.

Varadarajan will lead Starbucks’ global technology operations and join the company’s Executive Leadership Team, reporting directly to CEO Brian Niccol. He will officially assume the role on January 19, succeeding Deb Hall Lefevre, who retired in September.

A Strategic Tech Appointment for Starbucks

Announcing the appointment, Niccol said Varadarajan will play a crucial role in driving Starbucks’ technology transformation.

“I’m proud to share that Anand Varadarajan will join us as executive vice president and CTO. He’ll lead the Starbucks Technology organisation and report directly to me,” Niccol said in a statement.

The move signals Starbucks’ focus on digital innovation, operational efficiency, and technology-led customer experiences, especially as the company works on revamping store operations and digital platforms in key markets like the US.

Educational Background: From IIT Madras to Global Tech Leadership

Anand Varadarajan is an alumnus of the Indian Institute of Technology Madras, one of India’s premier engineering institutions. His academic journey reflects a strong blend of engineering and computer science.

He holds:

• A Master’s degree in Civil Engineering from Purdue University
• A Master’s degree in Computer Science from the University of Washington

Varadarajan has credited his time at IIT Madras for laying the foundation of his problem-solving and technical thinking skills.

Nearly Two Decades at Amazon

Before joining Starbucks, Varadarajan spent close to 19 years at Amazon, where he held senior leadership roles across technology and operations.

At Amazon, he:

• Led technology and supply chain systems for the Worldwide Grocery Stores business
• Built large-scale, customer-centric platforms
• Helped scale secure and reliable systems to support complex global operations

Earlier in his career, he worked as a software engineer at Oracle and held roles at multiple startups. Between 1999 and 2001, he served as a senior software engineer at Viquity Inc., where he worked on B2B supply chain messaging systems and protocol design.

What He Brings to Starbucks

Starbucks highlighted Varadarajan’s experience in building technology platforms that balance scale, reliability, and customer focus.

The company believes his background will help:

• Improve in-store operational efficiency
• Strengthen digital ordering and backend systems
• Support long-term technology scalability

CEO Brian Niccol has repeatedly stressed that technology upgrades and labour optimisation will be central to Starbucks’ broader turnaround and growth strategy.

Personal Interests Beyond Work

Outside his professional life, Varadarajan is an avid long-distance runner and aims to complete all seven World Marathon Majors. He is also a self-professed coffee enthusiast, reportedly starting his day with a latte or brewed coffee — a fitting habit for a Starbucks executive.

The Road Ahead

With a strong academic foundation, nearly two decades of experience at Amazon, and deep expertise in large-scale technology systems, Anand Varadarajan is well-positioned to lead Starbucks’ next phase of digital transformation while keeping customer experience at the core of its operations.

Related Topics:
Business News | Corporate Appointments | Technology Leadership | Education & Careers

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