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After taking flight from the tourism sector in January, travel industry veteran Katrina Barry has been named CEO of Australian hospitality technology scale-up me&u.
The ex-managing director of Trafalgar and Contiki at The Travel Corporation, Barry joins the Sydney-based ordering app to lead Australian and UK operations.
Barry, who previously led Contiki’s digital transformation, resulting in renewed relevance amongst a younger audience, will also support me&u founder Stevan Premutico in the business’s next phase of growth, which will see the company expand its existing operations in the UK and US markets.
“Katrina brings with her the depth of experience we need to navigate the changing face of the hospitality industry, and firmly establish me&u’s role in creating better experiences for customers and venues through tech and innovation,” me&u founder Premutico said.
“With a successful track record in creating a culture that provides purpose, nurtures development and offers professional fulfilment, Katrina is passionate about combining these with a clear business strategy and a focus on evolution.”
As me&u expands its team and evolves its product offering to meet changing customer needs and expectations, Barry’s combined travel and financial services background made her the ideal candidate for the role.
“I am incredibly excited to join such a fast-paced business that is breaking new ground and changing the face of hospitality, said Barry, who previously worked at Virgin Active Australia and McKinsey.
“I was instantly drawn to what Stevan has built with me&u, a force for good created by hospitality for hospitality. me&u has a clear goal to blend great tech with great customer service in order to build a better future for the sector.
“I’m looking forward to continuing to cement our role as the leader in creating an efficient and frictionless dining experience for both customers and venues alike.”
Launched in 2019, the AI-assisted technology table-app has already onboarded more than 1,000 venue partners, and 10 million customers have used the service.
“Since launching in 2019, me&u has experienced rapid growth, with the company on track to achieve an annualised total transaction value of US $1 billion by year’s end,” Premutico said.
“With over 80 per cent market share of Australia’s top pub groups, between January and December 2021, me&u generated 985 per cent more revenue than the same period in 2020.”
me&u, which received backing from hospitality entrepreneur Justin Hemmes and ASX-listed Tyro Payments (ASX: TYR) in an $8 million Series B funding round in late 2019, harnesses data to make the ordering experience more personalised for both the customer and venue.
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