Leadership Spotlight: Erika López Caner

Our latest Leadership Spotlight features Erika López Caner

Erika López Caner is an established digital professional with extensive experience working with several major organisations across the UK and globally across different industries. She is currently leading the marketing strategy at Gordon Ramsay Restaurants as their Global Digital Marketing Director.

Among her previous industry experiences, Erika has worked with names such as Henkel, Zalando, Frasers Group, and Ennismore.

In our Q&A with Erika, she discusses what she loves about working in digital, her day-to-day at Gordon Ramsay Restaurants, how she overcame the challenge of leading digital transformation and the best advice she has received in her career.

Read our Q&A with Erika below.

What’s your career journey been like to date?

I started in online merchandising and gradually built-up experience across the digital mix: CRM, paid, SEO, and strategy. I’ve always worked in-house, across different industries, but the common thread has been understanding what makes people tick and how digital can connect with that in a smart, meaningful way.

What do you love about working in digital?

It never stands still. There’s always something to learn, test, or improve. I love that mix of creativity and data. You get to tell a story and then measure how it lands. It keeps things interesting and keeps me sharp.

Tell us about your current position

I’m the Global Digital Marketing Director at Gordon Ramsay Restaurants. I lead the digital team, covering everything from paid media and CRM to website content and delivery platforms. It’s fast-paced and always varied. Strategy one minute, paid social ideas the next.

What’s the biggest challenge you’ve faced in your career (to date) and how did you overcome it?

Leading a digital transformation during a period of major change, both in the business and the industry. It meant rebuilding systems, teams, and strategies while still delivering results. I stayed focused on what mattered most: staying close to the customer, being honest about what wasn’t working, and making sure we had the right people in the room.

In your view, what’s the most important trait of a successful team?

Trust. If people trust each other to do great work, ask for help, speak up, and give feedback, everything else flows more easily.

What’s the best piece of career advice you’ve received?

Don’t wait for perfection. It’s easy to aim for flawless, but momentum is what drives progress.

Which trend are you most excited to see in 2025?

I’m really interested in how AI-driven personalisation will evolve, especially in CRM and content. When it’s done well, it can transform the customer experience. But the balance between smart and human will be key.

Tell us about your best success story

At The Hoxton, one of our big goals was to drive direct bookings and build real guest loyalty. The launch of Dis-loyalty, a cheeky, brand-first take on the usual loyalty programme, gave us a great way in.

My team led CRM, and we used guest data to personalise lifecycle comms around the Dis-loyalty perks. We surfaced destinations people hadn’t visited yet, pushed last-minute offers, and used segmentation to tailor tone, timing, and content based on behaviour.

It worked. Email engagement went up, and we saw a solid uplift in repeat bookings and cross-property visits. More than anything, it showed how CRM and brand can work together to build long-term loyalty, not just quick wins.

What are your hobbies away from work?

Travel (especially if there’s good food involved), contemporary art galleries, and a bit of pilates or modern dance when I can. And I’m always on the lookout for a great new podcast.

What’s your plan for the future?

To keep building brands that people care about. I’m looking to grow further in strategy and leadership, and eventually take on a global role shaping digital for something with purpose, whether that’s hospitality, lifestyle, or something new entirely.

What would you be doing (for a career) if you weren’t doing this?

Something around travel or art, ideally both. Or I’d be running a small but brilliant boutique hotel somewhere sunny.

Connect with Erika on LinkedIn