Simon Harrison

Operations Director of the Year (Artisan Coffee) - London, 2026

Simon Harrison is UK Operations Director at Caffè Nero. He joined the business 13 years ago and progressed through a range of regional leadership roles before stepping into the UK-wide role just over a year ago. Earlier in his career, Simon held operational and central leadership positions with Mitchells & Butler’s and SSP, building a broad grounding across large-scale hospitality. Over the past year, Simon has led the UK operation through a period of sales growth that has outperformed the wider market, while also driving a pipeline of operational improvement projects. He’s a hands-on, people-first leader who focuses on getting the basics right—clear standards, simple routines, and strong local leadership—so teams can deliver consistently day in, day out. Simon is particularly passionate about developing leaders and creating practical changes that stick.