7-Eleven’s Paterno first Asian to head global convenience store association

Philippine Seven president and CEO Jose Victor Paterno —CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Filipino retail tycoon Jose Victor Paterno made history as the first from Asia to head the United States-based National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS), the industry’s global trade organization.

Paterno, president and CEO of Philippine Seven Corp., the main license holder for 7-Eleven outlets in the country, was elected chair of NACS until 2024.

He is the second non-US retailer to assume the chairmanship of the international trade group and the first from Asia, the company said in a statement on Monday.

“I am deeply honored and humbled to take on the role. It is a tremendous privilege to represent not only [Philippine Seven] but also the broader convenience store industry,” he said.

“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,” he added.

Paterno also outlined his goal to build an industry-wide technology platform that would allow retailers to participate in growing digital advertising spending from consumer companies.

“This is something that is happening in other retail formats, but not in convenience, due to its fragmented industry structure,” Philippine Seven said.

The Virginia, US-based NACS was established in 1671 and represents over 350,000 stores around the world.

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.

Philippine Seven oversees 3,600 7-Eleven stores operating nationwide, with about half of these operating under franchise agreements. INQ