Staffing

Cinnabon, McAlister's parent names tech leader to board

Photo: iStock

January 27, 2021

Focus Brands, the parent company of Cinnabon, McAlisters, Jamba and several other limited-service brands, has named digital transformation executive, Gurmeet Singh, to its board. Singh brings 20 years of digital innovation and project management experience across a number of industries to the company's governing body, a news release.

"We are thrilled to have Gurmeet on our Board, and we believe his digital expertise will bolster our path to increased accessibility and convenience for our guests," Focus Brands CEO Jim Holthouser said in the release. "Our digital growth will be critical as we expand our global footprint, and Gurmeet will be an incredible thought partner and leader as we navigate the digital road ahead for our brands."

As a digital transformation expert, Singh has established and led various key transformation functions across digital products management, technology, user experience, data science and digital marketing. He currently serves as group chief digital officer for conglomerate Al-Futtaim Group, where he leads technology, digital, data and AI, innovation and group marketing.

Singh previously served as a senior adviseor for Boston Consulting Group and in various leadership roles for 7-Eleven, including executive vice president, chief digital, information and marketing officer and member of the executive committee. Additional credentials include Capital One, Intuit and FedEx.

Singh was also awarded 2019 Retail Tech Innovator and won the 2019 Stevie International Business award (Vienna) for Innovator of the Year.

Atlanta-based Focus Brands is the franchisor and operator of more than 6,000 restaurants, cafes, ice cream shops, and bakeries in the United States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and over 50 foreign countries under the brand names Auntie Anne's, Carvel, Cinnabon, Jamba, Moe's Southwest Grill, McAlister's Deli, and Schlotzsky's, as well as Seattle's Best Coffee on certain military bases and in certain international markets.