Dive Brief:
- Whataburger selected Rohit Kapoor to serve as its EVP and chief digital and technology transformation officer, the company said Wednesday. Kapoor will join the company Oct. 27, reporting to CEO and President Debbie Stroud.
- Kapoor comes to the Texas-based burger chain after a three-year stint as EVP and CIO for retailer Claire’s. The executive held technology leadership positions at Starbucks, Pizza Hut International and its parent company Yum Brands.
- Whataburger said Kapoor will lead the chain’s long-term technology vision and transformation roadmap, with a focus on aligning companywide digital strategy and enabling infrastructure expansion to support growth plans. SVP and CIO Joe Shannon will report directly to Kapoor, a spokesperson said via email.
Dive Insight:
The tech leadership update follows a year of transition at 75-year-old Whataburger. Stroud transitioned from her role as COO to take the helm as CEO in January, following the retirement of former CEO Ed Nelson.
In March, Whataburger appointed a new chief development officer, tapping commercial real estate veteran Todd Ewen as the company expanded to new states. This summer, it also named Jessica Reicher as its new COO, who joined Whataburger from Arby’s parent company Flynn Group.
Whataburger entered its 17th state in May with the opening of a North Carolina location and currently operates 1,100 locations. The focus on technology is expected to continue amid ongoing expansion plans.
“Digital transformation plays a vital role in how brands deliver value at scale,” Kapoor said in the announcement. “Whataburger has a tremendous opportunity to harness technology and AI to enhance both customer and team member experiences.”
Other quick service restaurants have also recently expanded or updated their IT leadership lineups amid ongoing technology modernization efforts.
McDonald’s picked Das Dasgupta to serve as its global chief data analytics and AI officer last month. Dasgupta most recently served as Starbucks’ chief data and analytics officer. Wendy’s appointed Sang Lee to serve as its VP of international technology in September, tasking Lee with supporting the chain’s international expansion.
The sector is widely pushing toward AI implementation, with executives looking to the technology as a tool to bolster customer experiences and improve operations.
