Dublin-based c-store and travel plaza operator Applegreen named Anil Rao as U.S. chief transformation officer earlier this month, Rao announced last week on LinkedIn.
Rao spent the past four years in several leadership roles with Pittsburgh-based leisure park operator Palace Entertainment, according to his LinkedIn bio.
“I’m excited to be part of the next era of growth in the United States, in a business that sits at the intersection of hospitality and travel,” Rao said in his announcement.
He joins Applegreen less than two months after the departure of the retailer’s U.S. president, Zack Kollias, who has since become president and chief operating officer for the exclusive franchisee of Whataburger restaurants in Georgia, Kollias recently announced on LinkedIn.
It’s unclear what Rao’s duties will be with Applegreen in the U.S., where the retailer operates about 165 locations across 12 states. An Applegreen spokesperson declined to comment on Rao’s hiring, as well as if Applegreen U.S. is still seeking a new president. As of late March, Applegreen’s spokesperson told C-Store Dive that the position had not been filled since Kollias’ departure.
Rao joined Palace Entertainment in early 2021 as vice president of food and beverage before becoming interim chief operating officer in late 2023. His most recent position with the company was SVP of revenue and business development, in which he helped drive in-park revenue and the company's investment strategy, according to his LinkedIn bio.
Earlier in his career, Rao worked for business management consultancies. He was a VP with AlixPartners and senior associate with A.T. Kearny.
