Without question the pandemic accelerated digital transformation in our sector – not least as a means, quite literally, of survival. We had no option. If we didn’t already have digital channels and expertise, we had to learn and learn fast.

Dining and drinking out of home is back and thriving. However, we rest on our digital laurels, or learnings, at our peril. Both our customers and our teams live in a hyper-connected, always-on, personalised and frictionless digital world. Their expectations of brands - as consumer and crucially employee - have changed forever.

And as costs rise, household incomes contract and price pressures loom we’ll need tech solutions to reduce costs, optimise operations and enable us to do more with less. 

Digital savvy directors are a rarity across most boardrooms and hospitality is no different. A recent report by McKinsey identified the challenge “…technology has become too embedded in the fabric of the business—and too critical for competitive performance—to be left to the IT function alone.”

Investing in tech wisely and well has never been more crucial. Many of you will have seen that Wingstop, the fast growing American multinational brand recently announced a $50m plus technology war chest to be invested over five years. The stakes are high and the risks are even higher if strategic, board level tech expertise is in short supply.

The opportunities around digital innovation are hugely exciting for our business. Board directors and senior leadership teams urgently need to upskill and accelerate their strategic IT and technology expertise to stay competitive and relevant.

That’s why we are producing a special Atlantic Club webinar on March 24 on this very subject – when we’ll have speakers from both sides of the Atlantic, including from Wingstop.

Join me for a lively discussion on: Tech, Talent & Transformation

Thursday 24 March | 4pm GMT | 12pm ET

REGISTER HERE