Sushant Dash, president, packaged beverages business, India, Bangladesh and Middle East, will be taking over as CEO at Tata Starbucks from 1 May 2021. Dash will join Starbucks on 1 April 2021 as CEO designate.
He replaces Navin Gurnaney who has made the decision to pursue an opportunity outside of the company.
Dash has spent 20 years with Tata. He was part of the team that opened the first Starbucks store in India in 2012. He was directly responsible for the strategy and marketing of the Starbucks brand in the country.
Sunil D’Souza, MD and CEO, Tata Consumer Products, said, “Navin has made significant contributions to the Tata Starbucks business in India, stepping up expansion and enhancing the customer experience. Navin has been a great asset to the company and we wish him success in his future endeavours. We remain committed to growing the Tata Starbucks business and brand and are happy to bring in Sushant, with his strong marketing, operational and leadership experience to spearhead the next phase of growth.”
Sara Trilling, president, Starbucks Asia Pacific, said, “We want to recognise Navin for the impact he has made on the company, growing our portfolio to 216 stores across 17 cities and his commitment to innovative programs that elevate the partner (employees) experience. We are pleased to welcome Sushant, a recognised leader in growing retail businesses and brands through locally-relevant initiatives. India is a strategic market for Starbucks, and we remain committed to the long-term in the country.”
