NACS Launches Asia-Focused Convenience Conference

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — NACS, the Association for Convenience & Fuel Retailing, is refining its role in the international convenience and fueling retailing space with the introduction of a new global event to the Asian market: Convenience Summit — Asia.

Convenience Summit — Asia will take place in Sapporo and Tokyo, Japan, from March 20-24, and feature thought leadership, store tours and opportunities to build strategic relationships with the Asian market.

As part of the association's strategy, it has also expanded its global leadership team with the addition of Mark Wohltmann, director of NACS Europe, and Magnar Møkkelgård, special advisor for NACS Europe.  

Wohltmann will lead efforts to grow the NACS brand by driving European membership and event recruitment, as well as growing the engagement activities of European retailers and suppliers with NACS. He will collaborate with Dan Munford, managing director of Insight Research, NACS' European partner.

Alongside Munford, Wohltmann will work to raise awareness about NACS global events: the NACS Insight Convenience Summit — Europe, the NACS Show and the newly established NACS Convenience Summit — Asia.

Additionally, Wohltmann will expand European recruitment for NACS' executive leadership education programs at Cornell University, the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, and Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. 

Wohltmann has 16 years of experience in the consulting and market research sector, with a focus on fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG)/consumer packaged goods and retail. He served as director of product management Europe for the Nielsen Co. prior to joining NACS, as well as USP Market Intelligence, where he set up Germany's largest convenience retail panel, and Combera consulting, where he developed marketing and sales strategies for FMCG companies entering the convenience sector.

Møkkelgård brings nearly 30 years of European convenience and fuel retailing industry experience, having retired from his position as vice president of Reitan Convenience AS in June. He held various positions during his 28 years with Norway-based Reitan Convenience AS. Over the last 18 years, Møkkelgård led the company's numerous strategic projects and merger and acquisition activities, including all major acquisitions. 

Along with his new role as special advisor to NACS, Magnar will also serve as a member of the NACS International Committee.

"New concepts and innovations emerge anywhere in the world, at any time, and the additions to the NACS team and the expanded event portfolio allow the association to share best practices, thought leadership, advocacy and technology with a global convenience marketplace," said NACS CEO and President Henry Armour. "These announcements allow NACS to more effectively help convenience retailers scan the globe to learn how retailers in more mature life cycle phase markets have effectively — and ineffectively — dealt with an issue."

Founded in 1961, Alexandria-based NACS is the international association for convenience and fuel retailing. NACS has 2,100 retail and 1,700 supplier member companies, which do business in nearly 50 countries.