Dive Brief:
- Niall Anderton, senior vice president of strategy and transformation at Alimentation Couche-Tard, has been named CEO of Irish food retailer and wholesaler Musgrave Group, according to an announcement this week.
- Anderton will join Musgrave in May, with incumbent Noel Keeley retiring at the end of the year, according to the announcement. As one of Couche-Tard’s top global executives, Anderton has spearheaded the convenience retailer’s five-year strategy and transformation program, in which it aims to achieve $10 billion in EBITDA by 2028, according to his LinkedIn bio.
- Anderton’s departure will leave a hole near the top of Couche-Tard’s global leadership team, and it’s unclear who will take over his duties after he leaves. A Couche-Tard spokesperson did not respond by press time when asked to comment.
Dive Insight:
Anderton’s departure will end a decade-long run with Couche-Tard. He joined in 2016 after the c-store giant acquired Topaz, formerly Ireland’s largest convenience and fuel retailer, where Anderton was chief financial officer and a member of its board of directors, according to his LinkedIn bio.
Upon joining Couche-Tard, Anderton became managing director for the company’s Ireland business. Three years later, he was named SVP of operations for Couche-Tard’s European division, where he led teams in Ireland, Poland, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia.
Anderton took on his current role in late 2023, leading Couche-Tard’s five-year plan that, in addition to its 2028 EBITDA goal, includes opening hundreds more c-stores in North America and implementing QSRs and a high-speed diesel fuel offer at its rural and suburban locations.
Anderton will soon leave North American convenience retailing and take the reins at Musgrave, which also serves England and Spain, according to its website. The company owns numerous food brands and, as of late 2024, operated over 1,300 retail stores.
“Niall brings a wealth of experience and strong leadership to our team at Musgrave and is exceptionally well placed to guide the business forward in an era of considerable opportunity,” Nicky Hartery, chairman of Musgrave Group, said in the announcement.
