India, Dec. 22 -- Multinational coffeehouse chain Starbucks has appointed Indian-origin technology executive Anand Varadarajan as its new executive vice president and chief technology officer (CTO), entrusting the two-decade Amazon veteran with overseeing the beverage giant's global technology operations.

According to a Starbucks statement quoted by news agency PTI, Varadarajan will assume the role of the new executive on January 19. He will join the company's Executive Leadership Team and report directly to Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Brian Niccol.

Varadarajan has been tapped as a replacement for Deb Hall Lefevre, who retired in September this year. After her exit, Starbucks appointed Ningyu Chen as interim chief technology officer w...