Starbucks names new CFO amid wave of tech leadership moves

It’s been a busy week for leadership changes across the Pacific Northwest’s tech and business scene, with major companies announcing new executives and strategic hires.

Leading the headlines, Starbucks has appointed Cathy Smith as its new chief financial officer. Smith brings a long track record in finance, most recently serving at Nordstrom. Over the years, she’s held CFO roles at companies like Walmart, Target, and Express Scripts, with her longest tenure at Raytheon.

She steps into the role following Rachel Ruggeri, who spent more than 20 years at Starbucks and became CFO in 2021. The leadership change comes during a challenging time for the company, which recently announced layoffs affecting 1,100 corporate employees—including 612 roles in Seattle. CEO Brian Niccol is increasingly turning to technology to help revive growth after taking charge last September.

Meanwhile, Avanade is strengthening its executive team with a series of high-profile appointments. The company—originally formed as a joint venture between Accenture and Microsoft—has leaned on that legacy in building its leadership bench.

Among the key hires: Danielle Brady as COO, Ashley Gatehouse as CMO, Rani Gopalakrishnan leading advanced technology centers, Ruth Rowan as chief growth officer, and Nisha Verma as chief people officer. These additions follow the appointment of CEO Rodrigo Caserta last September.

Elsewhere, former Expedia CEO Mark Okerstrom is stepping into a new role as CFO of Fortive, signaling another notable leadership shift.

In the biotech space, Tune Therapeutics has named Dr. John McHutchison as its new CEO. He brings experience from companies like Velia and Assembly Biosciences, and previously led major breakthroughs in hepatitis treatments during his time at Gilead Sciences. Tune recently raised $175 million and is pushing forward with clinical trials using epigenetic editing technology to treat chronic Hepatitis B.

Seattle-based Umoja Biopharma also made a key appointment, bringing in Dr. Luke Walker as chief medical officer. He will oversee clinical research, including cancer studies using CAR T-cell therapies. The company previously raised $100 million in a Series C round.

In the software world, Siteimprove has named Nayaki Nayyar as CEO and John Damgaard as chairman. Nayyar previously led Securonix, helping it reach a billion-dollar valuation.

Other notable moves include Niccolo de Masi becoming CEO of IonQ, and leadership updates at companies like Shiftboard and Ravensburger North America.

From coffee giants to cutting-edge biotech and AI firms, the region continues to see a steady reshuffling of leadership—highlighting how companies are doubling down on experienced executives to navigate growth, innovation, and economic pressure.

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