Seattle-based coffee chain Starbucks (SBUX) has hired Amazon (AMZN) veteran Anand Varadarajan as its new chief technology officer (CTO).
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Varadarajan, who spent nearly 19 years at Amazon, most recently led technology and supply chain for the e-commerce company’s grocery business. Varadarajan, who also previously held software engineering roles at Oracle (ORCL), will begin work at Starbucks on Jan. 19, 2026.
Varadarajan’s full title at Starbucks will be executive vice president and CTO. He will report directly to company CEO Brian Niccol, according to a staff memo that was shared with the media. The hire comes after Deb Hall Lefevre, Starbucks’ former CTO, left the retail coffee chain in September of this year.
Starbucks Turnaround Plan
Under Niccol, Starbucks has announced a $1 billion restructuring plan as a part of its ongoing turnaround strategy aimed at boosting sales and the company’s stock price. As part of the restructuring, Starbucks has undergone several rounds of employee layoffs this year.
At Amazon, Varadarajan most recently oversaw the worldwide grocery technology and supply chain organizations, which include both its proprietary Fresh brand and Whole Foods. During Varadarajan’s time at Amazon, the company experimented with grocery innovations such as using mini robots in its warehouses.
Is SBUX Stock a Buy?
Starbucks’ stock has a consensus Moderate Buy rating among 21 Wall Street analysts. That rating is based on 12 Buy, seven Hold, and two Sell recommendations issued in the last three months. The average SBUX price target of $95 implies 7.51% upside from current levels.
