Starbucks India Names Sakshi Sud as Head of Human Resources

Starbucks India has appointed Sakshi Sud as People Director and Head of Human Resources. The announcement comes as the company expands across the country and opens more stores in established and emerging markets. 

The coffee chain has been adding new formats and new locations. Senior leadership roles have become important in this phase as the company builds its talent systems and store culture. Sud’s appointment is part of this effort. 

Starbucks India has been focusing on partner experience through clear people processes. The company has also been adding new capabilities to match the pace of operations. Sud joins at a time when talent foundations are a priority. Her role places people at the centre of the company’s growth in India.

Career Path Across Global and Indian Enterprises

Sakshi Sud brings experience across several sectors. She has worked at Beiersdorf in HR leadership roles across large teams and functional areas. Before this she served at Infosys in people management roles for technology and consulting units. 

Her earlier experience includes ICICI Bank in business HR. She also held roles at Vodafone India in people operations. Sud later moved to MSD where she managed talent programs and development initiatives. Her most recent role was at CK Birla Group where she served as Group Head of Talent and Learning. She worked across multiple businesses in this role. 

Her background spans consumer goods, banking, telecom, technology, healthcare, and diversified industries. Sud completed her B Tech at the National Institute of Technology Surat. She earned her MBA from Symbiosis Institute of Business Management Pune.

A People Leadership Role Aligned With Expansion Goals

Starbucks India has been increasing its presence across cities and regions. Store expansion is a key part of its long term plan. As the company opens more locations it grows its partner base. A senior HR leader helps create the systems that guide front line partners and store managers.

This includes hiring, development, performance processes, and partner engagement. Starbucks India has also been running programs that focus on everyday work and long term growth for partners. Sud will lead these areas. 

In her announcement on LinkedIn she said “As I begin my new role, I’m excited to strengthen the partner experience through the conversations we nurture, the decisions we make, and the moments we create together.” 

People Strategy During Scale Up

Store expansion needs people practices that work across all locations. Starbucks India has been adding stores and expanding its workforce. A clear HR strategy helps create a consistent partner experience across the network. 

As the company grows, it relies on talent systems that work at scale. Sud has worked in large organisations with diverse teams and multi-business structures. Starbucks India has been updating its hiring, training, and development processes to match the needs of a growing retail network. A senior HR leader helps keep these efforts on track. 

The focus on partner well-being and capability building shapes internal programs. Sud joins at a point when these programs are important for day-to-day operations. Her background suits the company’s stage of growth.