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Mahindra Group chairman Anand Mahindra has applauded the appointment of Indian-origin CEOs at the world’s most iconic companies says it is now an unstoppable trend.
This statement comes after coffee giant Starbucks on Thursday informed that the company has appointed its new Indian-origin Chief Executive Officer, Laxman Narasimhan.
With this appointment, Narasimhan joins a growing list of Indian-origin CEOs at the helm of US-based global giants, including Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen, Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai and Twitter head Parag Agrawal. Indra Nooyi had served as PepsiCo’s CEO for 12 years before stepping down in 2018.
As per Anand Mahindra, international boardrooms Indian-origin CEOs to be almost ‘safe’ leadership bets.
Sharing Livemint's article on his official twitter handle, Mahindra wrote, “What was initially a trickle of water has turned into a Tsunami. The appointment of Indian-origin CEOs at the world’s most iconic companies is now an unstoppable trend. International boardrooms consider them to be almost ‘safe’ leadership bets."
Prior to this role, the 55-years-old Indian, Narasimhan, served as chief executive of Lysol and Enfamil baby formula, UK-based Reckitt Benckiser Group PLC. Narasimhan holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering from the College of Engineering, University of Pune, India. He has an MA in German and International Studies from The Lauder Institute at The University of Pennsylvania and an MBA in Finance from The Wharton School of The University of Pennsylvania.
Mellody Hobson, Starbucks chairwoman said that the company believes it has found an exceptional individual to be its next CEO as Narasimhan is a tested leader, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Narasimhan will join Starbucks as incoming CEO on October 1, 2022 after relocating from London to the Seattle area and will work closely with Howard Schultz, the interim CEO, before assuming the leadership role and joining the Board on April 1, 2023.
Schultz said that when he learned about Narasimhan’s desire to relocate, it became apparent that he is the "right leader" to take Starbucks into its next chapter.
“He is uniquely positioned to shape this work and lead the company forward with his partner-centered approach and demonstrated track record of building capabilities and driving growth in both mature and emerging markets."
Schultz, who helmed Starbucks for decades, said that as he got the opportunity to get to know Narasimhan, it became clear that he shares the company’s passion for investing in humanity and “in our commitment to our partners, customers, and communities."
"The perspectives he brings will be a strong asset as we build on our heritage in this new era of greater well-being. I greatly look forward to our partnership over the coming months and years," said Schultz.
Narasimhan said he was “humbled" to join the global coffee giant.
Starbucks’ commitment to “uplift humanity through connection and compassion has long distinguished the company, building an unrivaled, globally admired brand that has transformed the way we connect over coffee," said Narasimhan.
"I am humbled to be joining this iconic company at such a pivotal time, as the Reinvention and investments in the partner and customer experiences position us to meet the changing demands we face today and set us up for an even stronger future," he said.
“I look forward to working closely with Howard, the Board, and the entire leadership team – and to listening and learning from Starbucks partners – as we collectively build on this work to lead the company into its next chapter of growth and impact," he said.