Mr. Watkins joined Compass Group in 1994, moving to the Americas corporate office in Charlotte, NC from the UK in 1997 to assist with an ERP implementation. Subsequent project and line management positions culminated in Mr. Watkins becoming CIO in 2001. Mr. Watkins had overall responsibility for leading and aligning technology resources with business needs to enable business growth and change. He obtained a BSc(Hons) from the University of Wales, is qualified as a Management Accountant and acquired an MBA from Cranfield University. Mr. Watkins’ career transitioned from finance to technology during his early years with Compass Group. Prior to joining Compass Group, he worked for a number of organizations, including Pirelli, Reuters and Somerfield (a leading UK grocery chain). Mr. Watkins is married with two daughters, and lives in Charlotte.