Hershey expands executive ranks with first chief technology officer

Dive Brief:

• Hershey named Deepak Bhatia as its first chief technology officer and newest member of its executive committee. Bhatia, who starts in his new role on Oct. 23, previously was the vice president of supply chain optimization technologies at Amazon.
• The maker of Reese’s, Dot’s Homestyle Pretzels and Kisses said Bhatia brings expertise in automation, supply chain planning, optimization and simulation, artificial intelligence and predictive analytics.
• The appointment comes as food and beverage companies grapple with a fast-changing technology landscape, making it crucial for Hershey and other firms to have someone who can help their business adjust and adapt.

Dive Insight:

While food companies such as Hershey must continue to excel in making compelling products for consumers to buy, an increasingly bigger, and equally lucrative part of their business is coming from outside their own walls. As the last few years have shown, supply chain disruptions can wreak havoc on a business. At the same time, more companies are incorporating AI into creating, shipping and storing, as well as gauging supply and demand for their products. 

“We are experiencing unprecedented technological innovation, and I am thrilled to spearhead the development and execution of a technology-driven transformation that will meet and exceed the evolving needs of our consumers and customers,” Bhatia said in a statement.

Similar to how companies like Hershey have executives overseeing finances or operations, given the pace at which things are changing, companies need to have a point person overseeing technological issues that are impacting their businesses. Otherwise, they risk falling behind companies that are incorporating them into their operations and losing out on billions of dollars in sales in the process.