Laxman Narasimhan
Laxman Narasimhan | |
|---|---|
| Born | May 15, 1967 Pune, India |
| Occupation | Business executive |
| Years active | 1993–present |
| Known for | CEO of Starbucks, CEO of Reckitt, Chief Commercial Officer at PepsiCo |
Laxman Narasimhan (born 15 May 1967) is a business leader of Indian origin who holds American citizenship, known for his previous roles as chief executive officer (CEO) at both Starbucks and Reckitt.
Before these positions, he was the chief commercial officer (CCO) at PepsiCo. Narasimhan stepped into the role of interim CEO at Starbucks in October 2022 and officially took over from Howard Schultz as CEO in April 2023. His tenure ended when the Starbucks board removed him in August 2024.
Early life
Born on May 15, 1967, in Pune, India, Narasimhan earned a mechanical engineering degree from the College of Engineering, Pune. He also completed a Master of Arts in international studies at the Lauder Institute and an MBA specializing in finance from the Wharton School, both part of the University of Pennsylvania.
Career
Narasimhan spent 19 years at McKinsey, concluding his time there in 2012 as director and head of their New Delhi office. He then advanced to PepsiCo, where he ultimately became chief commercial officer.
In September 2019, he took over as CEO of Reckitt Benckiser from Rakesh Kapoor, initiating a strategic turnaround to reverse the company’s previous stagnation and correct prior missteps. He unexpectedly resigned in September 2022, citing personal and family considerations tied to relocating to the United States for a new role.
That same month, Starbucks named him as their incoming CEO to replace Howard Schultz, who had been serving as interim CEO following Kevin Johnson’s departure in March 2022. Prior to assuming leadership, Narasimhan spent six months training as a barista to acquire hands-on experience and identify areas for operational improvement. The New York Times highlighted that he exhibits a more open stance toward unionization compared to Schultz.
In 2023, Narasimhan’s total compensation from Starbucks reached $14.6 million, exceeding the median employee salary by more than a thousandfold.
Starbucks announced his immediate exit in August 2024, appointing Brian Niccol, CEO of Chipotle Mexican Grill, as his replacement.
Personal life
Narasimhan lives in Greenwich, Connecticut with his spouse and their two children. He is proficient in six different languages.