Circle K’s Derek Nolan on growth, innovation – and the role of senior retail director of operations across Ireland

Circle K’s Derek Nolan took on the role of senior retail director of operations for dealer and franchise sites Ireland in September 2019.  The latest issue of IFCR features a full length, five page interview with Mr Nolan, discussing the future plans for the enterprising company across Ireland.

With over 410 sites nationwide, 161 of these are Circle K’s own company sites. Derek Nolan oversees the work of the dealer network team, and sets out the growth strategy for the company’s dealer network and franchise sites (which retail Circle K product but operate independently).

Leading the team

Leading the team of seven sales market managers, plus the franchise team, it’s an all-Ireland role.

“We don’t differentiate how we run the business – it’s all-Ireland responsibility . I’m privileged to work with our independent retailers – they’re the key to our overall ambitions,” said Derek.

Two years in to the job, Derek finds it particularly enjoyable. “It’s a sales and relationship environment which I thrive on. With my previous experience at Tesco and Odeon cinemas, I enjoy that combination of working with the dealer network and the retail aspect. Circle K is genuinely a great global company to be part of – it’s certainly fast paced and ambitious.”

Strong brand

Circle K is now one of the strongest brands in Irish fuel retailing – and continues to establish its dominance as a global brand. How do you see this developing across Ireland in the coming years?

“We are working towards being the number one destination for convenience and fuel, and genuinely want to make life easier for people in Ireland every day” explained Derek.

“The company is constantly innovating – that’s part of our philosophy and it’s in our DNA. We maintain a real challenge mindset and the ethos is very ambitious. Developing further growth and innovation is our differentiation, to put the customer at the centre of everything, whether that’s services or products, providing technology solutions and regarding our carbon footprint.

See the latest issue for the full interview – pages 24 to 28

https://forecourtretailer.com/digital/IFCRMarApr21/