Starbucks hires technology chief from Amazon

Group 1 - Starbucks has appointed Anand Varadarajan as the new Chief Technology Officer, replacing Deb Hall Lefevre, effective January 19 [1] - Lefevre's tenure included a mix of technological initiatives, such as launching and subsequently closing a non-fungible token marketplace within 18 months, and the recent closure of mobile-only stores to refocus on in-store experiences [2] - Varadarajan brings nearly two decades of experience from Amazon, where he focused on customer-centric technology and operational efficiency [3] Group 2 - CEO Brian Niccol emphasized that Starbucks will prioritize customer experience over technological innovation, aligning with Varadarajan's background in creating reliable and customer-focused systems [4] - Varadarajan has previously managed technology for Whole Foods and Amazon Fresh, contributing to the integration of Whole Foods into Amazon's tech ecosystem [5]