Convenience store operator Spar is part of a global chain founded in Holland in 1932. Spar has 12,500 stores in 34 countries and an operating headquarters in Amsterdam. In Britain it works with the Ministry of Defence as an operator of the Naafi (Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes) on base stores

IT Leader: Roy Ford, Retail IT Controller

In role since: 1989

Reporting line: Reports to MD Debbie Robinson

Board level seat: No

IT estate and or number of log on accounts under the control of the IT leader:  5000 log on accounts

Level of the workforce that relies on technology to carry out their tasks:  90 per cent

Primary technology platform: Windows

IT staff currently employed:  55

IT management team and reporting structure:  Within each area of the business there is an IT director, so the business does not have a group IT director.

Primary technology platforms at the organisation: Toshiba and Dell

Strategic aim of the CIO and IT operations for the next financial year: Ensure Spa is compliant with PSI DSS and carry out hardware refresh within the stores

Technologies considered by the leader to offer their organisation potential: Cloud and virtualisation are possibilities

Future transformation and technology vision for the organisation:  Technology is going to reduce costs. We are looking at centralising the maintenance  of store systems. This will probably happen in about a year and will provide greater control over stores by being able to work in real time.