Alimentation Couche-Tard announced Alex Miller has been appointed president and chief executive officer of the corporation, effective September 6, 2024. Presently, Miller is Couche-Tard’s chief operating officer.
Brian Hannasch, current president and CEO, will retire from those positions and the board of directors but will serve as a special advisor to both the new president and to Alain Bouchard, founder and executive chairman of the board.
"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 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."
"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."
"Over the last year and a half, Alex has been Couche-Tard's chief operating officer, and has been working closely with Brian Hannasch and the board of directors on transitioning to a future CEO position," continued Mr. Bouchard. "Prior to that, Alex was our executive vice president, North America operations and senior vice president, commercial optimization, leading our global fuel and real estate businesses. He brings over 25 years of management experience in the retail fuel and convenience store industry, including nearly 13 years at Couche-Tard, and has proven himself to be an outstanding leader of the operational, financial and people aspects of the business."
"Over the past ten years, Brian Hannasch has been a truly phenomenal CEO for Couche-Tard," added Bouchard. "During his tenure, he has led the company in stunning growth, including a 400% increase in the company's share price and the acquisitions of nearly 7,800 stores, the successful completion of our ambitious Double Again strategy and the launch of our new five-year plan. Brian has also successfully negotiated and led the company through game-changing and well-executed transactions, which is a rare feat in many industries. Perhaps most important to me, even as we have grown exponentially, he has fostered and deepened Couche-Tard's special culture. 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. 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 ten 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."