Posts by Aliandra Calabrese

TOKYO — The future of Seven & i Holdings Co. Ltd., the parent company of 7-Eleven Inc., is a bright one — but one that will also see some changes, according to newly appointed CEO Stephen Hayes Dacus. The first foreign leader of the company shared some of his priorities and the path forward during Seven & i’s recent earnings call for fiscal year 2024. “7-Eleven is an iconic brand, and it’s the leading convenience brand in both North America and Japan. We got here in part, because our team are great merchants and innovators,” Dacus said. “Our team are humble, and they’re focused on delighting our customers. That customer focus is directly responsible for our culture of innovation.” The innovation that 7-Eleven’s merchants and operators bring to its stores is the company’s biggest competitive advantage, according to Dacus. He also highlighted the retailer’s franchisee network, and the systems and organizations that…

British oil and gas supermajor BP says it is adding a “tap and charge” feature to its BP Plus platform that will allow fleet customers to recharge their electric vehicles (EVs) with the company’s charging business, BP Pulse. With the introduction of a ‘tap and charge’ feature, the BP Plus card will now also allow fleet EV drivers to charge at BP Pulse charging stations across the country. Fleets will also be able to track fuel and EV usage together. “Mobility is changing and we’re supporting our customers wherever we can,” said Paul Augé, senior vice president for BP Australia and New Zealand. “As the number of EVs grow in fleets we want to make sure our customers’ experience at bp is easy. “Every fleet is different. We’re seeing some customers who have transitioned most of their fleet vehicles to EVs and others who are just getting started.” BP has…

We speak to István Kapitány, Global Executive Vice President of Shell Mobility, about the role of China in its global operations, unveiling the company’s biggest EV hub, and their 10-in-1 integrated energy station. Q. China has become synonymous with the future of mobility. The country is investing in all forms of new mobility while becoming the biggest EV player in the world. Shell currently operates a network of over 2,000 service stations, around 25,000 EV chargers, and one hydrogen site in the country (according to Shell’s website). Could you put into words what role is China starting to play in Shell’s global retail operations? A. China is a very important market for mobility globally including for Shell. We see great potential in China for Shell Mobility to further grow on many aspects. I was recently in China for my first visit since the pandemic, and it’s always a pleasure to…

David Littleproud says a $6 billion tax windfall could be used for harm reduction measures to address the growing problems surrounding vaping. Nationals Leader David Littleproud has called for a highly regulated legal vape industry, admitting his government “got it wrong” by pushing a “failed” prescription model. Mr Littleproud’s comments come after The Daily Telegraph revealed that taxing nicotine vapes could inject up to $6 billion to the state’s bottom line by 2026. “I backed the prescription model, but I’ve got to be big enough I’ve got it wrong,” Mr Littleproud said. He said vapes should be regulated similar to cigarettes. “We’re letting a black market take over and its just got out of control,” he said. It comes after research from the Australian Taxpayer Alliance suggested regulating and taxing vapes could generate billions in tax revenue. The Nationals leader said that money should be spent on “better health outcomes…