Jose Victor Paterno, president and CEO of Philippine Seven Corp., the license holder for 7-Eleven convenience stores in the Philippines, has officially taken on the prestigious role of chairman for the 2023-2024 term of the National Association of Convenience Stores based in the US.

NACS is the leading global trade association dedicated to advancing convenience and fuel retailing, serving as a trusted advisor to over 1,300 retailers and 1,600 supplier members from more than 50 countries.

The election took place at the NACS board of directors meeting held on 3 October, on the sidelines of the annual NACS trade show in Atlanta.

NACS, founded in 1961, started in the US, where it represents over 150,000 convenience stores, but later expanded globally, covering 350,000 stores in total.

Paterno is only the second non-US retailer to assume the post, and the first from Asia. His advocacy during his term, as outlined in his acceptance speech, was to build out an industry-wide technology platform that would allow retailers big and small to participate in growing digital ad spend from FMCG manufacturers.

It is something that’s happening in other retail formats, but not in convenience, due to its fragmented industry structure.

He cited his experience in the Philippines, which in many respects was ahead of the US as a more consolidated industry structure allowed for more technological innovation:

“It is a tremendous privilege to represent not only PSC but also the broader convenience store industry. I take pride in what we’ve been able to accomplish in the Philippines with technology and market share, and am excited to take things to the next level in collaboration with some of the best retail and tech minds I’ve met at NACS and its partners.”

A member-driven organization, NACS is led by a 30-member board of directors, which includes the largest US convenience retailers, including 7-Eleven US.

Presently, PSC oversees 3,600 7-Eleven stores operating nationwide, with a noteworthy 54 percent of these stores operating under franchise agreements and is continuously and rapidly growing.

Paterno’s journey with the company commenced in 1993 when he joined as the Construction and Maintenance Manager, heeding his father’s invitation. His dedication and leadership eventually culminated in his appointment as president and CEO in 2005 by the majority shareholders at the President Chain Store of Taiwan. He has also served as a council member of the NACS Coca-Cola Retailing Research Council, and serves on the board of the Makati Business Club.