Managing Director of the Year Awards 2026/ 10 Transformational MD of the Year 2026: Cliff Gurdin & Responsible AI & Automation Leadership Award 2026 Based in Leeds, Eat IT Drink IT was born from the mission to help hospitality businesses embrace technology that improves both operational efficiency and customer experience. Over the years, the business has evolved to stand at the forefront of AI, automation, and robotics within the hospitality sector. This is a mission steered by Founder and Managing Director Cliff Gurdin, a determined IT professional who was driven by his own experiences consulting hospitality entrepreneurs. We heard more from Cliff below. Having worked at senior levels across the public and private sectors, varying between frontline IT support management and technical implementation management, Cliff Gurdin knew that creating his own company was the most logical next step in his professional career. Consulting entrepreneurs within hospitality had opened his eyes to a glaring gap in the market: while many businesses provided critical hospitality services across the UK, these services were offered in a standalone format, with no interest in how the end client affordably utilised and supported their services. Cliff established Eat IT Drink IT in 2015, striving to provide independent expert consultation services to the hospitality industry, supported by around-the-clock, affordable, and knowledgeable tech support. The company works with hospitality venues, hotel groups, restaurants, bars, and leisure operators across the UK, empowering them to solve some of the industry’s biggest challenges, including staffing shortages, rising costs, and increasing customer expectations. To these clients, Eat IT Drink IT offers a comprehensive suite of solutions that range from managed IT services and cybersecurity through to autonomous service robots, cleaning robots, digital transformation consultancy, and AI-driven automation. These services are delivered with an overarching belief that the hospitality industry is built on human interaction, and that AI and robotics should never replace that, instead removing repetitive, timeconsuming tasks so that teams can focus on delivering superlative guest experiences. “I am especially passionate about changing the perception of robotics within service industries,” said Cliff. “There is often an assumption that automation exists to replace people, whereas my experience has consistently shown the opposite. The most successful deployments are those that allow employees to spend less time on repetitive tasks and more time delivering exceptional service, building relationships, and creating memorable customer experiences. This philosophy underpins the solutions we provide and the advice we give clients.” Cliff’s passion has shaped the trajectory of his professional journey, calling him to bridge the gap between innovation and practical application to ensure that businesses can adopt new technologies in a way that delivers genuine value. From the outset, he was fascinated by how technology could improve operational efficiency and create better experiences for businesses and their customers. This fascination led Cliff to hold a variety of technical and customer-facing roles over the years, across IT infrastructure, support, communications, and business operations. Along the way, Cliff discovered that success is rarely about technology alone. The most important lesson he has learned is that people come first; success depends on understanding people’s needs, earning trust, and bringing them along on the journey. This perspective has become particularly important when introducing AI and robotics, where education and communication are often just as important as the technology itself, and has shaped the ways in which Cliff leads his team. “Our industry is evolving rapidly, particularly with the growth of AI, automation, and robotics,” he told us. “Rather than waiting for change to happen, I encourage my team to embrace innovation and challenge conventional thinking. I foster a culture where new ideas are welcomed, calculated risks are supported, and continuous learning is part of everyday business. This approach has enabled us to evolve from a traditional hospitality provider into a recognised specialist in AIdriven automation and robotics solution for the hospitality sector.” Under Cliff’s expert leadership, Eat IT Drink IT has played an instrumental role in positioning Yorkshire as a region capable of leading the charge in technological innovation. While many businesses look to major technology hubs for inspiration, Eat IT Drink IT has demonstrated that forward-thinking AI, automation, and robotics solutions can be successfully developed, deployed, and supported from its base in Leeds, Yorkshire. Reflecting on the significant accomplishments of his team throughout the years, Cliff shared with us, “My ambition extends beyond growing a successful company. I want to help shape the future of hospitality, healthcare, and service industries by making advanced technology accessible, practical, and beneficial to organisations of all sizes. By combining innovation with strong relationships, exceptional service, and a people-first approach, I believe that we can create lasting positive change for businesses, employees, and customers alike.” Contact: Cliff Gurdin Company: Eat IT Drink IT Ltd Web Address: www.eatitdrinkit.co.uk
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