Seattle, Washington, USA: Starbucks has named experienced Indian technology professional Anand Varadarajan as its new Chief Technology Officer. The appointment aligns with CEO Brian Nicols strategy to strengthen the companys use of technology to deliver faster and more efficient customer experiences.

Anand takes over the role following the retirement of Deb Hall Lefevre, who stepped down in September. According to a company statement from CEO Brian, Anand will assume responsibilities as Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer.

Anand Varadarajan is an alumnus of the Indian Institute of Technology and earned his masters degree in computer science from the University of Washington. He began his professional journey as a software engineer before spending nearly two decades at Amazon. In addition to his long tenure there, he has also contributed his expertise to several startup firms, including Oracle.