Ben Wishart CIO50 2009

Ben Wishart is approaching the end of his fifth year at Whitbread plc, owner of Premier Inn Hotels, Beefeater, Brewers Fayre, Table Table pub restaurants and Costa Coffee.

Initially responsible for creating a shared services IT function across the group, he has taken accountability for delivery of both front and back-office business change programmes, and management of the company's outsourced logistics function which distributes food, drink and consumable items to all of Whitbread's 1,500 outlets.

Wishart is currently directing an IT re-platforming and business process outsourcing programme that will outsource transaction processing in finance and HR, make significant changes to the company’s applications and infrastructure and deliver a five per cent reduction to overhead costs.

A keen cyclist with a busy family life, Wishart is also an active member of the CIO Board of e-skills UK, the government-licensed skills council for the IT and telecommunications industry.