Renowned Restaurant Industry Visionary Bill Allen Brings to GigNet Decades of Success as Senior Executive, Board Member, and Principal Investor
GigNet, a Digital Transformation company that provides high-speed broadband and advanced value-added services to enterprise clients and residential communities based on its extensive fiber-optic network from Cancun to Tulum, announced today that A. William Allen III (Bill Allen) has been named to the GigNet Board of Directors. Recognized as a leader known for crafting strategic vision, Mr. Allen offers experience in guiding rapidly growing companies through brand and market development, early stage and follow-on investing, corporate governance, and mergers and acquisitions. His passion is to assist dynamic growth companies to scale successfully by formulating effective strategies and efficiently accessing capital markets.
Mr. Allen’s executive acumen has been built on a strong track record as founder, investor and corporate executive which allows him to bring a unique perspective to GigNet, where he has been a significant investor for many years and in multiple investment rounds. His appointment is extremely timely as GigNet has numerous high profile restaurant chain clients in the Cancun region and the fine-dining scene from Cancun to Tulum is setting new international standards for quality, concepts, and entertainment.
As Co-Founder of Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar and former CEO and Chairman of OSI Restaurant Partners (Bloomin’ Brands), Mr. Allen has been instrumental in building leading restaurant companies for over twenty- five years. He is a proven strategic thinker and business leader, building successful companies from the ground up across disciplines including operations, finance, business development, and human capital. Bloomin’ Brands is a portfolio of casual dining brands, including Outback Steakhouse, Carrabba’s Italian Grill, Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar, and Bonefish Grill. As CEO of Bloomin’ Brands for five years he was responsible for taking Bloomin Brands private in a US$4.1 billion transaction approved by shareholders. After this successful restructuring he served as Chairman for an additional two years. Previously, he held other executive roles with restaurant groups and served ten years with the Marriott Corporation where he was a senior vice-president.
Mr. Allen has acted as an investor, advisor, and board member to a wide portfolio of established and early-stage growth companies including as a partner in a Development Partnership focused on Leisure, Gaming, and Entertainment and acts as the Restaurant Advisor to the “OC Vibe” project, a US$4.5 billion integrated Lifestyle Project in California.