Greene King, one of the UK’s leading pub, restaurant and hotel operators, has appointed its first chief data and technology officer as part of a multi-million-pound technology overhaul to drive efficiencies, focusing on backend automation and frontend customer experience.
Andrew Plunkett has taken up the role with immediate effect, joining from easyJet where he served as group chief information technology officer for nearly five years. Prior to that, Plunkett held senior tech, digital and customer experience roles at Airbus, Qantas, Accenture, and Logica.
Greene King operates around 2,600 outlets across the UK, including Chef & Brewer, Hungry Horse, Farmhouse Inns, and Metropolitan Pub Company; it also owns popular beer labels such as Greene King IPA and Abbot Ale.
Earlier this month, the company completed 53 operational trials during the first year of its business-wide innovation and efficiency programme, with further projects planned as the initiative enters its second year.
More than 300 products and ideas have been assessed since the programme was introduced to identify ways of improving operational efficiency, working practices and customer experience across the pub company’s estate.
Greene King also introduced a virtual AI voice assistant named “Charlie” to handle frontline phone operations alongside artificial intelligence technology designed to monitor kitchen and cellar equipment.
The technology deployment coincides with a major digital and structural footprint expansion, including rolling out its digital-first franchise model to over 100 venues, upgrading high-speed estate connectivity, and building out a frictionless digital booking and loyalty application system.
At the heart of the system is the Greene King Pubs & Restaurants Loyalty App, which consolidates multiple pub brands into a single, unified digital rewards portal. The application is built to provide personalised user experiences while solving traditional in-venue friction.
In a LinkedIn post, Plunkett said: “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.
“At the same time, I’m excited about what’s possible. 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.”
Greene King’s media planning and buying account is handled by Mediaplus (formerly Total Media), although the company initiated a review of its UK and Ireland media roster managed by ID Comms late last year. Creative projects for major campaigns, such as the “Where London Life Happens” initiative, have been led by Accenture Song-owned TMW.
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