Alimentation Couche-Tard, parent of Circle K convenience stores, named Louise Warner as executive vice president of North American operations and global commercial optimization earlier this month, according to the company’s website.
Warner, who had been Couche-Tard’s senior vice president of global fuels since joining the retailer in January 2021, takes on the role that new CEO Alex Miller held before he became chief operating officer in 2022.
A spokesperson from Couche-Tard did not respond by press time to questions about Warner’s promotion.
One of Warner’s priorities as SVP of fuels was helping deploy Couche-Tard’s electric vehicle charging program in the U.S., which launched four months after she joined the company. At the time, Warner said Couche-Tard was committed to meeting its customers' “evolving mobility needs as demand for sustainable energy choices continues to grow” in all of its markets.
As of this past April, Couche-Tard’s EV charging program was expected to be live at about 40 Circle K sites across the U.S. and Canada. Its goal is to reach 200 locations. Former CEO Brian Hannasch said earlier this summer the company was still on pace to hit that target.
As SVP of fuels, Warner was on Couche-Tard’s Sustainability Steering Committee, which meets quarterly to discuss the risks and potential impacts of climate change on the business. It’s unclear if Warner will remain on the committee in her new role.
Prior to joining Couche-Tard, Warner spent over 20 years with Australian petroleum company Ampol, formerly known as Caltex Australia. She held numerous leadership positions with the firm, including chief commercial officer, interim COO, executive general manager of fuels and infrastructure and president of Ampol’s operations in Singapore, according to her LinkedIn bio.
Couche-Tard has shuffled its executive team over the past few months. Besides Warner’s promotion, the company named Miller president and CEO, Tommy Rodwell as its head of asset management, Erica Fortune as chief digital officer, Mark Ostoits as senior vice president of operations, James Kelly as global director of procurement operations and Aaron Smorodin as head of M&A and business development.
Laval, Quebec-based Couche-Tard operates more than 7,100 c-stores in the U.S. and 16,700 locations globally.
