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English Español Shell’s Istvan Kapitany named European Industry Leader of the Year

Under his leadership, Royal Dutch Shell has expanded its service station network and reimagined its food and convenience offering.



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Istvan Kapitany, global executive vice president of Royal Dutch Shell, has been named the 2019 NACS European Industry Leader of the Year. The award, sponsored by Mondelēz International, will be presented during the NACS Convenience Summit Europe in London on June 6.

The 30-plus year Shell veteran leads a team that oversees a global network of 43,000 locations in 80 countries with 500,000 employees.

“As global chief, Istvan Kapitany and team are doing the hardest thing there is to do in retail: reposition the business to capitalize on future growth opportunities while maximizing sales and profit performance in the current landscape,” said NACS President & CEO Henry O. Armour.

Kapitany exemplifies the entrepreneurial spirit of the convenience and fuel retailing industry. He began his career with Shell in 1987 as a store manager in Hungary, and held executive positions in Shell’s downstream operations as well as globally with Shell in Germany, Hungary, South Africa and the United States. Since 2014, Kapitany has served in his current role.

Kapitany’s leadership has brought global brands to Shell retail, including partnerships with Starbucks and Costa Coffee. In January 2019, Shell launched a program to deliver better food choices to on-the-go customers. Product packaging is made from recycled material (50% rPET), can be widely recycled and has clear labelling to help customers dispose of it responsibly.

On the forecourt, Kapitany is leading the expansion of Shell’s service station network, testing new convenience concepts and food offers and planning new site layouts to meet the needs of the evolving fuels market, including a strong focus on electric vehicle charging.

Kapitany will accept his award on June 6 at the International Convenience Retail Awards gala and deliver a keynote address on 7 June at the NACS Convenience Summit Europe, followed by in an interactive conversation with Armour.

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