Dive Brief:
- Kevin Kapala, head of growth and customer sales for BP’s convenience retailing business in the U.S., has left the company, Kapala announced via LinkedIn last week.
- Kapala, who has held several vice president-level positions since joining BP in 2004, said he’s leaving “at a natural inflection point” in his career. Both he and a BP spokesperson declined to comment on his departure.
- Kapala’s resignation came the same week in which BP announced a new CEO who it hopes will accelerate a strategy reset that has impacted the company’s convenience business this year.
Dive Insight:
Since taking on his most recent role in January, Kapala had spearheaded the customer-facing sales organization within BP’s c-store business in the U.S., including overseeing partnerships at about 8,500 locations nationwide, according to his LinkedIn bio. He also led go-to-market strategies for BP’s c-store banners in the U.S., notably Ampm and Amoco, while advancing their digital transformations and overseeing their franchise networks.
Kapala’s departure leaves a hole in BP’s convenience retailing leadership team in the U.S. It’s unclear how BP intends to cover his duties as the company continues sharpening its c-store strategy.
In his announcement, Kapala said he’s already “engaged in conversations” regarding future senior executive opportunities and is taking on advisory positions. He said he’s “proud of the breadth of experience” his time at BP has given him.
“Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of leading teams, partnering with customers, and engaging with industry groups across the country,” Kapala said in his announcement. “I’ve held accountability for large, diverse organizations across sales, marketing, operations, and strategy; served as an officer of bp Products North America; and represented the company on several external boards.”
Prior to his most recent role, Kapala was VP of BP’s U.S. mobility segment for nearly three years, according to his LinkedIn bio. In that role, he managed the business that markets the BP and Amoco brands, as well as fuels and digital solutions. He also spearheaded various growth strategies, such as bringing on new sales geographies, implementing electric vehicle charging and tackling site-specific technology.
Other notable roles Kapala held at BP through the years included VP of U.S. assets and chief operating officer for the Ampm and Arco brands.
