Job Title : COO International & Group CIO

Organization : Whitbread

Ben Wishart joined hospitality giant Whitbread – owner of Premier Inn Hotels, Beefeater, Brewers Fayre, Table Table pub restaurants and Costa Coffee – in 2004 as CIO.

After taking over responsibility for the company’s logistics function last year, Wishart now holds the position of COO international and group CIO.

Recent technology initiatives completed at Whitbread include a relaunch of the premierinn.com site, simplifying activities for management across the company’s brands and the conclusion of a programme of process and systems change. The programme’s business process outsourcing is expected to deliver more than £7m of efficiencies.

Before joining the leisure chain, Wishart worked for companies including American Express, Capgemini and Tesco and the CIO holds an MBA from Cranfield University.

Wishart began his working life as an outdoor activities instructor and spent five years running white-water rafting operations in Kathmandu and outdoor centres in Wales.

Outside of work, Wishart is an enthusiastic cyclist and this year will be biking between London to Paris for Whitbread’s nominated charity for this year, WaterAid.