Andrew Plunkett takes on Chief Data and Technology Officer position at pub retailer Greene King
Greene King, which runs 2,600 pubs, restaurants and hotels across England, Wales and Scotland, has appointed Andrew Plunkett as Chief Data and Technology Officer. He joins from easyJet where he served as Group CIO and Group Information Technology Director.
In a LinkedIn post, Plunkett said: "I'm almost four weeks into my new role and time has absolutely flown. I've spent these first weeks trying to properly understand the business, not just from a boardroom or office. I've visited many pubs and restaurants across the estate, and at three of them I put in a full shift: stacking stock rooms, picking up glasses, pouring pints and serving customers alongside the teams who run these places every day. Unfortunately I also dropped the odd glass!"
He added: "I've also had the chance to meet people from right across the business, in head office and on the ground. What's struck me most is the warmth, generosity and patience everyone has shown me as I get up to speed. Thank you to everyone who has given me their time, their honesty and a genuinely warm welcome. It hasn't gone unnoticed."
"I've been genuinely impressed by what I've seen so far. Greene King runs on the hard work and pride of people who care deeply about their pubs and their guests. That's something worth protecting: it's part of the fabric of British life, and it deserves to be treated that way."
He concluded by observing that there's real potential to use technology, data and AI to strengthen every part of the business, making pubs easier to run, decisions better informed and guest experiences more personal, all while staying true to what makes Greene King, Greene King. "Early days, but I'm enjoying every one of them."
2026 RTIH Innovation Awards
Hospitality technology 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.
