Starbucks India has appointed Sakshee Sud as People Director and Head of Human Resources, strengthening its leadership team as the coffee chain accelerates its aggressive expansion across the country. In her new role, Sud will drive the organisation’s people and culture agenda during a transformative growth phase.
The appointment comes as Tata Starbucks targets 1,000 stores across India by 2028, opening one new location every three days. The company currently operates 457 stores and plans to double its workforce from 4,300 to 8,600 partners over the next four years, making this one of the most ambitious retail expansions in India’s food and beverage sector.
Sud brings over 15 years of human resources experience spanning diverse industries including pharmaceuticals, banking, telecommunications, consumer goods and technology. Most recently, she served as Director and Head of Human Resources at Beiersdorf for three years and five months, where she led talent development, leadership programmes and diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives for India and global corporate functions. She was also responsible for centres of excellence focused on talent acquisition and DEI strategy.
Before Beiersdorf, Sud held the role of Group Talent Lead at CK Birla Group. Her career includes a six-year tenure at MSD (Merck Sharp & Dohme) as Senior HR Business Partner, where she developed expertise in pharmaceutical sector talent management. Earlier roles included corporate HR positions at Vodafone India, learning and development management at ICICI Bank, and her first HR role as Business Partner at Infosys.
Sud has been recognised as a Top HR100under40 leader and among the Top 24 DEI Leaders in India, reflecting her contributions to progressive people practices and inclusive workplace culture. She holds an MBA in Human Resources from Symbiosis Institute of Business Management, Pune, and a B.Tech in Electronics from the National Institute of Technology, Surat.
Her appointment reflects Starbucks India’s commitment to its people-first philosophy at a critical juncture. The company became the first food and beverage organisation in India to establish a five-day workweek for partners and reports that over one-third of current partners have been promoted internally. With more than 80 stores opened in 2024 alone, Starbucks India ranks among the company’s fastest-growing markets globally.
The expansion strategy focuses on entering Tier 2 and 3 cities whilst increasing drive-through locations, airport outlets and 24-hour stores. This growth aligns with India’s rapidly evolving coffee culture, supported by rising urbanisation, a growing middle class and changing lifestyle preferences. India’s coffee retail chains market is valued at approximately USD 690 million and growing at a compound annual growth rate exceeding eight per cent.
Starbucks operates in India through a 50:50 joint venture between Tata Consumer Products and Starbucks Corporation, established in 2012. The partnership has successfully adapted the global brand to local preferences whilst maintaining the distinctive Starbucks experience. As India is projected to become the world’s third-largest economy by 2030, the country represents a strategic priority for Starbucks’ global expansion plans.
Sud’s extensive experience across organisational development, talent acquisition and employee engagement positions her to support the company’s ambitious growth trajectory whilst maintaining its partner-centric culture. Her track record in building high-performing teams and leading cross-cultural initiatives will prove essential as Starbucks India scales operations across diverse geographic markets.
The appointment underscores the critical role of strategic human resources leadership in supporting rapid retail expansion, particularly in organisations committed to maintaining distinctive workplace cultures whilst growing at unprecedented speed.
