Laxman Narasimhan born on May 15, 1967, in Pune, India, is an Indian-American businessman who has recently got in news after Starbucks announced that they will part ways with him. Born and brought up in a Hindu family, Narasimhan’s childhood was full of personal struggles, such as the deaths of his siblings.
Narasimhan was a scholar at the College of Engineering, Pune, where he received his Mechanical Engineering degree. He furthered his education at the University of Pennsylvania, where he received a Master of Arts in German and International Studies from The Lauder Institute and an MBA in Finance from the Wharton School. This sound education profile provided him the strong base to build his successful corporate career.
Prior to joining Starbucks, Narasimhan served in key positions in different multinational organizations. He worked for nearly nineteen years at McKinsey & Company, and he was a director at the company; he worked with clients within the retail and consumer goods industries. He joined PepsiCo in 2012 and later became the Chief Commercial Officer of the company and was also in charge of operations in Latin America and Europe.
Narasimhan joined Reckitt in September 2019 as the CEO of the consumer health and hygiene company. He continued to steer the company through a strategic transformation plan that revived the performance of the firm, especially during the COVID-19 period where demand for health products was high. He proved to be a competent leader due to his ability to handle several operations that were complicated.
He later became the interim CEO of Starbucks in October 2022, and he became the permanent CEO in April 2023, after Schultz. His appointment was regarded as a strategic decision to bring about the change in the company at a time when sales were dwindling and competition was hotting up. He even took six months to become a barista so that he could have a feel of what it takes to run the establishment.
Nonetheless, Narasimhan’s tenure at Starbucks was relatively brief. His leadership came under criticism when the company recorded a 3% reduction in the global sales during his tenure, thus demoralizing the stakeholders. In August 2024, he was replaced, the board wanted a change and hired Chipotle’s CEO, Brian Niccol.
Narasimhan is a family man and has two children and lives in Greenwich, Connecticut. He is a polyglot, fluent in six languages and is reputed to be a man of strict regimen, giving time to office and family both.
