10 Starbucks leaders in new roles in 2026
Vice President, Controller, interim vice president, digital and marketing technology and Director, AI Acceleration are among the current titles held by these ten Starbucks leaders, each of whom started that role at Starbucks in 2026. A reader can learn how Starbucks leaders approach a role they started in 2026 from people who hold one now.
Professionals to explore
Daniel Cerda
LinkedInExperience: Director of Engineering · Starbucks
Daniel Cerda has been Director of Engineering at Starbucks since January 2026, based in Bothell, Washington. Daniel Cerda was also Engineering Manager at Starbucks (2021–2025 and 2017–2021), and the profile describes retail IT software work in ecommerce, merchandising and supply chain, and in-store point of sale.
Drew Engelson
LinkedInExperience: interim vice president, digital and marketing technology · Starbucks
Drew Engelson has been interim vice president, digital and marketing technology at Starbucks since April 2026, based in the Seattle area. Drew Engelson also lists director of engineering, unified commerce and loyalty platform (from 2025) and director of engineering - commerce, payments, and fraud prevention (2024–2025) at Starbucks.
Eric Solomon
LinkedInExperience: Director, AI Acceleration · Starbucks
Eric Solomon has been Director, AI Acceleration at Starbucks since June 2026, based in Seattle, and the profile describes leading coffeehouse partner-focused AI efforts (Green Dot Assist). At Starbucks, Eric Solomon was also Director, Operations, Technology & Infrastructure (2025–2026) and Director, Innovation & Architecture (2023–2025).
Katie Jones
LinkedInExperience: Vice President, Controller · Starbucks
Katie Jones has been Vice President, Controller at Starbucks since February 2026, based in the Seattle area. At Starbucks, Katie Jones was also Director, Assistant Controller (2023–2026), Director of Corporate Accounting (2018–2023) and Senior Manager, Americas Accounting (2016–2018).
Mehul Shah
LinkedInExperience: Head of Commercial Finance · Starbucks
Mehul Shah has been Head of Commercial Finance at Starbucks since July 2026, based in the London area. At Starbucks, Mehul Shah was also Head of Finance - EMEA Licensing (2024–2026) and Head of Finance - FP&A and Cost Excellence (2023–2024), and was Senior Finance Business Partner - Omnichannel & eComm at Currys plc (2020–2021).
Ruchir Srivastava
LinkedInExperience: Director of Engineering · Starbucks
Ruchir Srivastava has been Director of Engineering at Starbucks since February 2026, based in the Seattle area, and the profile headline names supply chain and technology, transportation, distribution and fulfillment. At Starbucks, Ruchir Srivastava was also Data Engineering & Analytics - TPSM (2025–2026) and Technology Product & Solutions Manager (2017–2025).
Ryan Ingalls
LinkedInExperience: Director of Finance - International Retail · Starbucks
Ryan Ingalls has been Director of Finance - International Retail at Starbucks since January 2026, based in the Seattle area. At Starbucks, Ryan Ingalls was also Director of Finance - Global Channel Development (2025–2026) and Director of Finance - North America Coffee Partnership (2023–2024).
Satya Takkallapally
LinkedInExperience: Head of Employee Technology Platforms · Starbucks
Satya Takkallapally has been Head of Employee Technology Platforms at Starbucks since January 2026, based in Issaquah, Washington. Satya Takkallapally also lists Director of Engineering, Employee Technology (from 2019) and Director, Workforce Management Technology (2018–2019) at Starbucks.
Victoria Harrington (Hupf)
LinkedInExperience: Director, Digital Strategy & Operations · Starbucks
Victoria Harrington (Hupf) has been Director, Digital Strategy & Operations at Starbucks since May 2026, based in Bellevue, Washington. At Starbucks, Victoria Harrington (Hupf) was also Chief of Staff, Business Operations - Digital (2025–2026) and Group Manager, Digital Experiences Portfolio (2023–2025).
Zach Thieme
LinkedInExperience: Director Edge Engineering · Starbucks
Zach Thieme has been Director Edge Engineering at Starbucks since January 2026, based in Maple Valley, Washington. Zach Thieme was also Software Development Manager at Starbucks (2022–2026) and Software Development Manager DynamoDB at Amazon Web Services (AWS) (2021–2022).
Choose the right perspective
Match the person's function and current scope to your question, since finance, engineering, digital and AI leaders each see a different part of the business. People whose 2026 role started earliest in the year have had the most time in it.
Questions to take into the conversation
- 01What did you focus on in your first months in your current role?
- 02Which parts of your earlier roles have been most useful in the role you hold now?
- 03How do you decide which priorities to take on first when you start a new role?
Reaching Starbucks leaders in new roles in 2026
How can I contact one of these Starbucks leaders in new roles in 2026?
Pick one of the 10 people on this page and choose "Book a paid call", or describe your project to find others. You offer a fee for a 15-minute call or a written answer, Instant Expert finds the person's work email and sends the invitation, and they decide whether to accept. The list covers 1 company: Starbucks, based on profile data retrieved on October 24, 2026. Being listed here doesn't mean someone has agreed to take calls.
How much does it cost to reach Starbucks leaders in new roles in 2026?
You choose the offer, starting at $5 per person. The offer is what the person receives, and Instant Expert's fee is added on top, so a $100 offer costs you $125. The fee is 20% of what you pay. You're charged only when the person books the call or sends the answer.
What if they don't reply?
You pay nothing. Instant Expert sends follow-up reminders, and if the person hasn't booked or answered within 7 days, the request expires and any hold on your card is released. You can invite several of the 10 people on this list at once and cap your total spend, so you pay only for the ones who accept.
Can an AI agent ask one of these Starbucks leaders in new roles in 2026 a question?
Yes. An agent with a USDC wallet on Base can ask one question without an Instant Expert account. It names the person, for example by the LinkedIn URL on this page, and pays per ask over x402 (HTTP 402). The person answers in writing or by voice note, and if nobody answers within 7 days, the payment goes back to the wallet automatically. Claude and ChatGPT can do the same through the Instant Expert connector: setup is at /docs/mcp for Claude and /docs/chatgpt for ChatGPT. x402 docs
About this directory
This is a professional research starting point based on business profile data retrieved on . Titles and companies reflect that source snapshot; roles marked former had ended by then. Check the linked profiles for current details. Inclusion does not imply Instant Expert membership or availability.
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