2025 Agenda

Burger King's blueprint for meaningful innovation: a tech exploration partnership

Discover how Burger King UK is approaching tech innovation through a strategic tech exploration partnership with frog, a Capgemini company. Timothy and Joe will share the strategy behind Burger King approach to innovation, insights on what makes a successful tech partnership, look at a groundbreaking AI-driven project promising long-term benefits, and offer a sneak peek into Burger King's tech innovation plans for 2025 and beyond.

• Timothy Love, Director of Digital at Burger King UK
• Joe Batista, Director of Experience Innovation at frog

What to expect: here's the full programme for last year

Panel: omnichannel - driving sales across multiple touchpoints

Restaurant and foodservice operators are increasingly leveraging their brand equity to enter new sales channels. But what digital tools support omnichannel strategies, to make sense of the data and build loyalty? In this panel we are joined by some best-in-class brands behind the trend, including Pizza Express, Wasabi and Cognizant

• Arslan Sharif Chief Digital & Technology Officer, PizzaExpress
• Chris Scarth IT Director, Wasabi Sushi & Bento
• Gurdip Clare, UKI Head of Hospitality Cognizant

Panel: Transformative, data driven results and protecting privacy

In a fast-evolving consumer and technology landscape, marketeers must contend with shifting platforms, algorithm updates, social media formats and narrowing attention spans. So which digital solutions are driving the best ROI? And how do marketers ensure a personalised experience without overstepping their customers’ privacy? Marketing leaders from Hawksmoor, Heartwood Collection and Comptoir Group will answer these questions and more.

• Emma King, CMO, Hawksmoor
• Caz Taylor, head of digital marketing, Heartwood Collection
• Nicole Goodwin, marketing director, Comptoir Group

Back of house panel: managing margins to thrive, not survive

With food and labour as prime cost factors, how can back of house technology help operators intelligently model routes to growth? And what role will AI play to support scheduling, inventory and operational pressures?

• Alicia Thompson Director of Hospitality, Food Group, Marks & Spencer
• Guy Latchem, Chief Information Officer, Moto Motorway Services
• David Carey, Chief Technology Officer, Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen
• Christian Berthelsen, CTO, Fourth

‘Blue sky’ panel: embracing the digital future

How can tech empower customers and operators, across all hospitality touchpoints? In this wide-ranging panel discussion, sector CTO's and operator specialists discuss their vision of future progress, from the evolution of loyalty and rewards, to ordering and payments, to robotics and AI.

• David Rose Senior Director – International Digital & Marketing Technology
• Rory Scallan commercial director at Five Guys JV UK and Europe
• Nick Fryer CTO, Dojo
• Rob O'Beirne VP of Revenue, Nory AI

This panel is hosted by Chris Fletcher founder, Tech on Toast

Panel: multi-brand, multi-system - deriving benefit from complexity

Our panel will consider the challenges and opportunities around meeting the needs of multiple brands from a digital technology perspective. From travel hubs, to high streets to leisure parks, we will explore different approaches to integrating systems and driving efficiencies, from scheduling and payroll, to order and pay, to data and customer marketing.

• Sarah Pope, CIO/IT director, Big Table Group
• Stefan Beavis, Group CIO, The Restaurant Group
• Sam Thompson, IT director, Welcome Break

Innovation showcase: the tech powering hospitality experiences

Tech-led experiential leisure has established itself as high-growth segment as consumers increasingly seek out competitive socialising and immersive experiences. This session explores the development and journey behind some of the market’s leading players, the technology that powers these concepts, and the digital evolution in the future of experiential hospitality.

• Tom Snellock, founder & CEO of Clays
• Gavin Williams, CTO, F1 Arcade

Diversification and Digitisation - lessons learned from the Caffè Nero transformation.

Will Stratton-Morris CEO UK, Caffè Nero

Will shares lessons from a journey of diversification and digital transformation, from new business growth in delivery, to click and collect, e-commerce, partnerships and app based loyalty.

itsu: Digital transformation revisited

Neil Miller, chief customer officer

Returning to Hostech to update on itsu transformation journey, chief customer officer Neil Miller will delve into the ongoing development of the Pan-Asian healthy eating brand’s CRM, kiosks, loyalty and app. In part three of an evolving series, he will also explore itsu’s omnichannel strategy around grocery, partnerships and catering, and how the brand is leveraging digital to double down on its health credentials.

Owned and direct delivery

Owned delivery channels are a key growth area for restaurants as they enable ownership of the full customer relationship and data. While it's still a nascent industry in the UK & Ireland, Uber is seeing strong interest from marketplace restaurant partners wanting to expand their omnichannel presence. Caroline and Kefhira will share learnings from the company’s white-label delivery solution, and share top tips and pitfalls for owned-channel delivery.

• Serge Abdel Hak Uber Direct OFD Lead, UK
• Kefhira Pintos Head of Commercial, Uber Eats UKI

TikTok: A new approach to social media marketing

Rameez Al Aghbar. Brand Partner – QSR Lead, TikTok

One of the biggest and fastest growing social media platforms in the world, TikTok has transformed the way restaurants approach digital marketing. In this presentation, QSR lead Rameez Al Aghbar will share the story of how TikTok has become one of the most influential platforms for the sector, particularly when reaching younger consumers. He will also argue that marketers must shift their strategy away from traditional social media models, towards a focus on entertainment rather than promotion; while shining a spotlight on the brands that are winning on the video sharing app, such as KFC and Wingstop.

Openr: Unlocking data and AI innovation

Openr is an innovative new platform poised to unleash the power of data and ease the pain of dealing with huge datasets. Incubated out of the Azzurri Group, the startup aims to standardise data sharing and act as a flywheel for transformation in the sector. In a Hostech exclusive, Joel will share more about the vision, alongside Stonegate CIO Guy Tambling and Coco di Mama & Dave’s Hot Chicken MD Jim Attwood, two of Openr’s customers.

• Guy Tambling, CIO Stonegate Group
• Sara McKennedy, Commercial Brand Director Coco di Mama
• Joel Robinson, Digital and Technology Director Azzurri Group

Book your team places here.