Alimentation Couche-Tard has announced the appointment of Alex Miller, the company’s current chief operating officer, as its new president and CEO, effective Sept. 6.
Miller will take over for Brian Hannasch, as he will retire and continue with the company as a special advisor to both the new CEO and to Alain Bouchard, founder and executive chairman of the board.
“On behalf of the board of directors of Couche-Tard, I want to congratulate Alex Miller on his appointment to be our next leader,” said Bouchard. “Couche-Tard has only had two CEOs during its almost 45-year history, and we take this appointment extremely seriously. The board and I have been planning for an orderly and seamless succession for several years, and we have carefully assessed the process and possible candidates. It is important to us that our next CEO comes from within the business and fully embraces our values, culture and growth-oriented mindset. For those reasons, we have the utmost confidence that Alex is the best person to be our next President and CEO.”
Bringing more than 25 years of management experience in the retail fuel and c-store industry, Miller has been Couche-Tard’s chief operating officer for the past year and a half, and has been with the company for nearly 13 years. He has been working closely with Hannasch and the board to ensure a seamless transition in September.
“I am humbled and honored by this appointment, and I want to thank Alain, Brian and the entire board of directors for their confidence,” said Alex Miller. “Working with Couche-Tard — its board of directors, leadership, shareholders, team members and customers — has been the highlight of my career. I firmly believe that we are just at the beginning of our journey to become the world’s preferred destination for convenience and mobility, and I have full faith that with our engaged people and culture and long-term strategic plan, we will continue our incredible growth trajectory as we take market share and create lasting value.”
In a recent statement, Miller also commended Brian Hannasch for his 10 years of service as CEO for the company. During his time in the role, Hannasch helped Couche-Tard grow the company’s share price by 400% and assisted in the acquisition of nearly 7,800 stores.
Additionally, he aided in the completion of the company’s ambitious Double Again strategy, the launch of its new five year plan and the negotiation of numerous transactions.
“Brian always does the right thing for our people and customers, and he has my and the board of directors’ deepest gratitude for all he has accomplished,” continued Miller. “We are truly pleased that he agreed to stay on as a special advisor.”
“It has been the honor of a lifetime to be Couche-Tard’s CEO for the past 10 years and a leader of this company for the past 25,” said Hannasch. “I am so proud of the lasting value that we have created and the commitment and passion of our team members to serving our customers and communities. I know Couche-Tard is in great hands with Alex as he has been one of my closest business partners for well over a decade, and we are working as One Team during this transition period. I want to thank Alain and the board of directors for their enduring support and for the opportunity to continue serving Couche-Tard in a special advisory capacity.”
Alimentation Couche-Tard operates locations in 31 countries and territories, with more than 16,700 stores, of which approximately 13,100 offer road transportation fuel. With its well-known Couche-Tard and Circle K banners, it is one of the largest independent convenience store operators in the U.S. and it is a leader in the convenience store industry and road transportation fuel retail in Canada, Scandinavia, the Baltics, Belgium, as well as in Ireland.
