Alimentation Couche-Tard, parent company of Circle K convenience stores, has named James Kelly as its new global director of procurement operations, according to a LinkedIn announcement from Kelly.
Kelly’s LinkedIn bio notes that he began his role with Couche-Tard this month and that he’s based in Dublin, Ireland. A spokesperson from Couche-Tard declined to share any details of Kelly’s hiring.
Kelly brings two decades of purchasing and supply chain experience across a variety of industries to Couche-Tard. His most recent role was head of procurement for integrated facility management with global real estate firm Cushman & Wakefield, which he held for nearly two years, according to his LinkedIn bio.
Prior to Cushman & Wakefield, Kelly spent more than six years with hospitality company Aramark, where he was procurement manager for the firm’s Workplace Solutions division, as well as head of procurement for facilities management.
Kelly has also held procurement leadership roles with service solutions firm Bidvest Noonan, telecommunications company Netshare Ireland and Hospital Procurement Services Group. In his LinkedIn bio, Kelly notes that his expertise includes sourcing strategies, contract negotiation, risk mitigation measures, policies and procedures.
Kelly’s hiring comes as Couche-Tard increases its focus on its procurement functions. At the end of 2023, the company launched its new Supplier Code of Conduct, which aims to uphold environmentally and socially responsible procurement practices across the business and with its supplier community.
In March, Couche-Tard implemented supply chain and retail planning company’s Relex Solutions’ AI-powered and machine learning programs at its stores. This technology aims to enhance demand forecasting, replenishment, and advanced space and floor planning.
When discussing Couche-Tard’s procurement practices during the company’s Q4 earnings call in June, CFO Filipe Da Silva said Couche-Tard’s goods-for-resale program in the U.S. has “brought very positive results,” and that Couche-Tard recently launched this same program in Canada and Europe.
Additionally, Da Silva said Couche-Tard is seeing positive savings on the goods-not-for-resale side of the business, and it’s setting up a central team for that division.