Leading with Purpose and Pace: Lisa Buckley on the Evolving Face of Hospitality

I recently had the pleasure of speaking with Lisa Buckley, former UK Operations Director at Wagamama, about the big strategic priorities shaping retail and hospitality in 2025 and beyond. Lisa brings sharp insight into how brands can stay relevant in a time of constant change—balancing innovation, purpose, and commercial growth.

From the power of social listening to the role of interim leadership in transformation, this conversation is packed with practical takeaways for anyone navigating today’s fast-moving consumer landscape.

What are the biggest strategic priorities for the industry in 2025 and beyond?

For a number of years now we have seen turbulence and I think that is here to stay and has almost become the norm. Balancing compelling recruitment, rising costs and staying relevant in a time of unrest and a real cost of living crisis is tough, however for me fundamentally ‘social listening’ and really understanding your customers and your team remains at the heart of any resilient and strong, ethical brand. Getting uber clear on who you are as a brand, what you deliver and how you do that consistently whilst ensuring a robust and commercially viable backdrop remains top priority. With that backdrop, I think you can then lean into the challenges much more objectively and look for the opportunity. Take AI for example, there are many advantages for the industry if you look through that lens. I truly think those brands that win balance educating and being aware of the challenges, whilst powering through with the opportunities.

How important is innovation and digital transformation?

Super important, again balanced with the relentless focus on the customers, internal and external.  Being knowledgeable about the technical age that we live in and how we utilise that to attract multi-demographic groups is key. How our children interact with brands is very different to the gen Z, for example and in lots of instances we need to attract and retain both. Innovation should be embedded and an on-going, constant project, and that has certainly been the case in the most successful businesses of my career. Equally I know first-hand from many peers and my own experiences that understanding the why behind the digital revolution is key and there are currently a number of leaders questioning their tech stack and to what end it is still serving them and more importantly their team and customers. We should never ignore the technical era we live in but vitally we should always remember what ‘hospitality’ at its heart.

How do you balance commercial growth with purpose-led leadership?

Commercial delivery has been a given throughout my entire career, it is what we are fundamentally working for as the output and paid to deliver. However, since a very young age I have seen firmly that focusing on the inputs of people, customer and standards and leading with transparency and consistency is the only way you will deliver not only short-term, but medium and long-term. Never more has there been a need for a ‘purpose’ to what any business is trying to achieve and particularly the younger generations, which invariably make up the bulk of the workforce in our industry, will not be fobbed off with surface level professions of purpose that cannot be seen and felt throughout. Getting really clear on the goals and sense checking and building those with as many ‘voices ‘ and as much data as you can, whilst not shying away from the fact there is a commercial backdrop and commitment has always been the way that I have worked and enjoyed being led. 

What does leadership look like to you in today’s fast changing consumer market?

I think this is varied. I see both examples of great leadership and sadly I also see instances where this is not the case. Take D&I for example. Not too long ago there were big professions of whole strategies and departments set up to fundamentally tackle some real significant inequality. The same could be said in instances with sustainability. Appreciating commercial challenges, I think good leadership is able to navigate the pace of change without complete U-turns on what is important. Leadership is about integrity, real clarity on what a business / brand offers and what the team and customers need, who all invariably will be feeling these challenges too. It is simplifying without dumbing down allowing for agility, upweighted communication and honesty throughout.  It is not forgetting that not all things rest on an overt and linear commercial backdrop so being authentic and acting with compassion even when making difficult decisions and without wanting to keep banging the drum it is being uber clear on what your team and customers need and want in times of such change.

What are your thoughts on how interim leadership can support transformation?

I believe that fresh eyes and perspective are key to any evolution or transformation. The very definition of the word transformation infers change and this isn’t always easy for people who have been embedded in any business for a long time. Whilst a huge supporter of internal progression and fostering the DNA of a brand there are times when for a number of reasons there needs to be a new approach and often at pace. Interim is a great middle-ground both for individuals going in and for the team and brand already on a journey.  In addition different sector experience can be really refreshing too. It also stretches the interim leader to work in different businesses and expand their leadership experience and skills, whilst revitalising those around them hopefully too.