Starbucks names Indian-origin Laxman Narasimhan as new CEO

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, September 2

Laxman Narasimhan is the latest in a long line of Indian-origin CEOs of global companies with Starbucks announcing his appointment as the company’s next chief executive officer and a member of the Starbucks Board of Directors.

Narasimhan will join Starbucks as incoming CEO on October 1 after relocating from London. He will work closely with Interim CEO Howard Schultz, before assuming the CEO role and joining the Board on April 1, 2023, said a company announcement.

A 30-year veteran of leading and advising global consumer-facing brands, most recently he served as CEO Reckitt, a consumer hygiene and nutrition company.

The company in an announcement said during the transition period, Narasimhan will be fully immersed in the company, spending time with Schultz and the management team, partners and customers and gaining in-depth exposure to the brand, company culture, and Reinvention plan.

Previously, Narasimhan was global chief commercial officer of PepsiCo where he served several stints that included headed the soft drink giant’s Latin America, Europe and Sub-Saharan Africa operations. Prior to PepsiCo, he was with McKinsey & Company. Narasimhan is also on several think tanks and holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Pune University besides an MA in International and MBA from the US.

Prominent Indian-origin CEOs

Satya Nadella is the executive chairman and CEO of Microsoft.

Parag Agrawal is CEO of Twitter

Arvind Krishna is Chairman and CEO of IBM

Sundar Pichai is CEO of Alphabet and Google

Manish Sharma is Global CEO of Accenture

Rangarajan Raghuram is CEO of VMware

Leena Nair is youngest ever CEO of Chanel.

About The Author

Tribune News Service

The Tribune News Service brings you the latest news, analysis and insights from the region, India and around the world. Follow the Tribune News Service for a wide-ranging coverage of events as they unfold, with perspective and clarity.