In this Tech Stack Chats interview, Culture & Leadership Coach Ceri Gott shares insights from her journey at Hawksmoor and beyond. She discusses sustainability, tech adoption in hospitality, and why now is the right time for HT360. A must-read for leaders navigating change and innovation in the hospitality industry. 

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Tell us about yourself and your experience in the industry.  

As a Culture & Leadership Coach, I help people to lead and navigate change by drawing on a wide range of experience. I have thirteen years’ experience as a government economist, including serving as a national expert on productivity and innovation. Drawing from this background, I am well versed in the drivers of business performance, particularly in the areas of growth and transformation. 

I also have thirteen years of experience at the wonderful Hawksmoor. I was in one of the driving seats, helping to lead and grow the business from three special restaurants in London to thirteen amazing venues across the UK, Ireland and the US. 

What are the biggest challenges hospitality operators are facing and how can hospitality tech help?  

For me, the biggest challenge falls under the umbrella of sustainability, which I consider in three different aspects. 

Firstly, financial sustainability. It is a really challenging time, and there will be many businesses and technologies that are heavily focused on this area. The key question is how technology can help hospitality business models become financially sustainable and increase returns. 

Secondly, sustainability in terms of people. It is about supporting those currently in the industry, recognising their energy and talent, and finding ways to attract and retain them. A helpful way to approach this is by asking people what drains their energy and working to remove those things, then identifying what energises them and providing more of that. Technology can play a role here, whether by freeing people from boring, mundane tasks or by enabling them to spend more time on work they find enjoyable. 

Thirdly, and obviously, there is environmental sustainability. Again, there are many examples in our industry where technology is helping businesses to make progress in this area. 

How do operators empower their teams to adapt to the changing hospitality tech landscape?  

When I think about change, and about being a leader in a business, it is clear that we are always learning and evolving. What can often happen is that it feels as though we are working at 100 miles an hour. We discover all of these solutions involving technology, from how we manage our time to how we communicate. Then, when someone comes along and says, “please use this bit of tech” or “please swap systems”, it can feel as if they are asking you to start writing with your left hand while you are moving at full speed. 

Giving people the time to learn something new, and being realistic about what that takes, is key. 

It is also about communicating clearly with people about why you are doing it, how you are doing it, and giving them both the option and the opportunity to provide feedback in real time about how it is affecting them. That is when we will start to see people and technology working better together. 

Why do you think now is the right time for a dedicated hospitality tech show like HT360?  

These events, and the opportunities they provide to truly engage with what is happening in the industry and to learn about it, are incredibly important. I am particularly excited about the coming year and how much technology has evolved in just 12 months, because it is changing so rapidly. 

Technology companies are now increasingly collaborating with businesses and individuals, learning from them and responding more directly to what people want and need. There is also a growing focus on understanding the lessons around implementation and doing it in a smarter way. 

It is also a valuable opportunity to learn from the mistakes of others. Mistakes are inevitable when implementing new systems, but my experience in hospitality is that people are very generous in sharing what they have learnt. It is a really effective way to gain insights and improve. 

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Meet operators and industry leaders just like Ceri at Hospitality Tech360 (HT360), launching 30 March - 01 April 2026 at Excel London as part of Food, Drink & Hospitality Week. 

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