Tata Starbucks Announces Navin Gurnaney to assume CEO Role

Tata Starbucks announced Navin Gurnaney will assume the role and responsibilities of the Chief Executive Officer, Tata Starbucks beginning January 1, 2019, when the current CEO, Sumitro Ghosh returns to U.S. for a role within the Starbucks organization.

Under the leadership of Sumitro Ghosh, CEO, since January 2016, Tata Starbucks has accelerated its store growth and has elevated the unparalleled Starbucks Experience in stores. The Company has increased the level of partner (employee) engagement, set new Indian standards for gender equity in the workplace and was the first retailer to introduce a five-day work week across the country, further positioning Starbucks as an employer of choice in India and creating a foundation for success in India.  

“Sumitro Ghosh has made countless contributions to Tata Starbucks growth and success by innovating the Partner (employee) experience and elevating customer service excellence in our stores over the past three years,” said John Culver, group president, International, Channel Development and Global Coffee & Tea at Starbucks Coffee Company. “We are pleased to welcome Navin Gurnaney, who has a proven track record of success within Starbucks and is a business leader with the ability to bring people together, as Tata Starbucks continues to innovate and position itself for long-term growth in the India market.”

Speaking on the announcement, Ajoy Misra, MD & CEO, Tata Global Beverages Limited said “Sumitro has created a strong foundation for Tata Starbucks in India and Navin is the right person to build on the momentum we are seeing in the market. We are pleased to bring on a seasoned leader like Navin, who is focused on operations excellence, relevant innovation and developing high-performing teams, and look forward to continued brand and business growth for Tata Starbucks in India.” 

Navin will be responsible for driving Tata Starbucks overall strategic direction and vision in India and further strengthening Starbucks business growth. Navin comes with deep experience in leading and managing businesses across several functions and industries in India, Europe and the U.S. With this role, Navin is returning to Starbucks after first joining in 2004 where he was a leader on U.S. business for eight years in Operations, Drive Thru Optimization and Partner Resources. Navin grew up in Mumbai and is excited to return to India from Atlanta, Georgia.

“I’m honored to return to India as CEO of Tata Starbucks to continue building upon the incredible momentum the company has experienced in its first 6 years,” said Navin Gurnaney. “I look forward to elevating the mission and values of the company by delivering the iconic Starbucks Experience for our Indian partners and customers.”