IT solutions delivery leader Mike Laurenti ends run at food retailer Ahold Delhaize

Mike Laurenti has announced his departure from Ahold Delhaize, where, as the Group Chief Information/Technology Officer, he lead the delivery of IT solutions for the food retailer with 17 local brands, 400,000 associates, and 7,700 stores in nine countries.

In a LinkedIn post, Laurenti, who has also worked at Family Dollar Stores and Belk, said: "After 12 truly remarkable years, it is with deep gratitude and reflection that today marks my last day at Ahold Delhaize.”

“Leading an international team of technology professionals has been one of the greatest privileges of my career. Across countries, cultures, and challenges, I have been continually inspired by the exceptional talent, resilience, integrity, and shared commitment to excellence that define this organisation."

He added: "Together, we built a respected global solutions capability and strengthened the critical role technology plays in serving our customers and communities. What we achieved is, in many cases, truly industry leading - and a testament to what is possible when people come together with purpose, trust, and determination."

"What I will carry with me most is not only what we achieved, but how we achieved it - by building a caring culture rooted in collaboration, trust, and a genuine sense of purpose. A recent visit to our headquarters in the Netherlands to say goodbye in person was especially meaningful. The opportunity to connect face to face, reflect on our shared journey, and express my gratitude directly is something I will always remember."

He concluded: "I am deeply proud of this team and our business partners across our portfolio of brands, and grateful to have worked alongside so many outstanding colleagues. I appreciate everyone who contributed to an experience that exceeded my expectations in every way."

"As for me, after 130+ international trips, I’m beginning a new chapter focused on finding the right balance between personal priorities and selective professional work that aligns with my experience and interests."

Mike Blay

Mike Blay recently started a new role as Chief Information Officer (CIO) at Manchester Airport Group (MAG), which owns and operates three UK airports - Manchester, London Stansted, and East Midlands - alongside digital travel services business, CAVU.

Bray, who previously spent 13 years at Ahold Delhaize and has also worked at Shop Direct Group, said: "I’m excited to join the talented teams working to keep millions of passengers and partners connected every year."

"Technology plays a critical role in modern aviation - from operational resilience and passenger experience to data, security and innovation. I’m looking forward to working with colleagues across MAG to build on the strong foundations already in place and help shape the next chapter of technology across the group."

2026 RTIH Innovation Awards

Food retail will be a key focus area at the 2026 RTIH Innovation Awards.

The awards are now open for entries and celebrate global retail technology innovation in a fast moving omnichannel world.

Our winners will be revealed at the 2026 RTIH Innovation Awards Ceremony, taking place at The HAC in Central London on Wednesday, 4th November.

Check out our 2025 winners here.

Our 2025 hall of fame entrants were revealed during a sold out event which took place at The HAC on 16th October and consisted of a drinks reception, three course meal, and awards ceremony presided over by award winning comedian, actress and writer Tiff Stevenson.

In his welcome speech, Scott Thompson, Founder and Editor, RTIH, said: “This is the awards’ fifth year as a physical event. We started off with just 30 people at the South Place Hotel not far from here, then moved to London Bridge Hotel, then The Barbican, and last year RIBA’s HQ in the West End.”

“But I’m conscious of the fact that, to quote the legend that is Taylor Swift, You’re only as hot as your last hit, baby. So, this year we’ve moved to our biggest venue yet, and also pulled in our largest number of entries to date and broken attendance records.”

He added: “This year’s submissions have without doubt been our best yet. To quote one of the judges: The examples of innovative developments across both traditional and digital retail spaces were truly remarkable.”

Congratulations to our winners, and a big thank you to our sponsors, judging panel, the legend that is Tiff Stevenson, and all those who attended our 2025 gathering.