Starbucks has named Cathy Smith as its new chief financial officer (CFO). Smith previously held CFO roles at Bright Health, Target, Express Scripts, Walmart, and others, with her longest stint being at Raytheon. She succeeds Rachel Ruggeri, who spent more than two decades in the role.
The coffee giant is also undergoing significant layoffs, including 1,100 corporate employees, marking one of its largest layoffs to date. This move comes as CEO Brian Niccol shifts focus towards technology to revamp the struggling business.
Avanade, a Seattle-based tech consulting firm, has announced several C-suite hires. Chief Operating Officer Danielle Brady joined from Accenture, with over 25 years of experience in leadership roles. Chief Marketing Officer Ashley Gatehouse comes from QUANTIQ, a Microsoft “Inner Circle Partner.”
Other notable moves include Tune Therapeutics’ new CEO Dr. John McHutchison, who leads the biotech company’s epigenetic editing technology, and Seattle-based Umoja Biopharma’s new Chief Medical Officer Dr. Luke Walker.
Siteimprove has appointed Nayaki Nayyar as its CEO, while Andrea Varsavsky takes on the role of chief operating officer at Sage Bionetworks. Niccolo de Masi is now president and CEO of IonQ, a Maryland-based company that recently opened a quantum computer manufacturing facility in Bothell, Wash.
Shiftboard has appointed Bill Phillips as its new vice president of professional services, replacing Peter Draper. Greg Tito joins Ravensburger North America as director of communications, following his stint as a communications manager for Wizards of the Coast and deputy director of the Washington Secretary of State.
Source: https://www.geekwire.com/2025/tech-moves-starbucks-names-cfo-avanade-bolsters-c-suite-tune-therapeutics-gets-ceo