Tata Starbucks CEO Navin Gurnaney to step down with effect from April 1

Navin Gurnaney, CEO of Tata Starbucks will step down from his post on April 1.  Making way for Sushant Dash to take over from May 1, the company has announced. Dash will join Tata Starbucks as CEO Designate effective April 1, 2021.

" CEO, Navin Gurnaney has made the decision to pursue an opportunity outside of the company," Tata Starbucks said in a statement. "With this transition, Sushant Dash will join Tata Starbucks as CEO Designate effective April 1, 2021 and take over as CEO on May 1, 2021," the statement added.

Under Gurnaney's leadership, the company experienced accelerated growth, new city entries and store formats, numerous contributions related to social impact initiatives as well as innovative product offerings, the statement added.

Dash joins Tata Starbucks from Tata Consumer Products where he is currently President Packaged Beverages Business, India, Bangladesh, and Middle East, the company added.

Tata Starbucks said in 2012, Dash was on the core team that opened the first Tata Starbucks store in India and was directly responsible for the strategy and marketing of the Starbucks brand in the country.

Starbucks entered the Indian market in October 2012 through a 50:50 joint venture with Tata Consumer Products Ltd. It currently operates 216 stores in India across 17 cities.