forecourttech’26 Conference Programme

forecourttech returns in 2026 with its most commercially focused programme to date. Two days built around a single, unbroken red line: the structural shift from fuel-first sites to integrated customer destinations, and the technology, data and payments infrastructure that will determine who profits from that shift. 

Detailed programme timings will be shared with registered delegates.

Day 1 | Protecting and Earning the Margin

Welcome | From Innovation Theatre to Everyday AI

Christian Warning, Conference Chair, and Stephen Bozdan, Managing Director, SAB Events, open the conference with a scene-setter that frames the programme’s central argument: AI is not an IT project. It is a P&L intervention.

Every session that follows builds the commercial case, from protecting margin on Day 1 to growing it on Day 2. Delegates will leave the opening with a clear map of how the two days connect and how to use the structured meeting slots to act on what they hear.

Panel Session | The Digital Mile: Mapping the Connected Customer Journey from Car to Checkout

Moderated by Matthijs Machielse, BigBrother, with guests Max Krawinkel, PWM, Oscar Sanchez, Kempower, and Mitul Jain, Refive

The customer relationship no longer begins at the pump, it begins on the road. From the moment a driver spots a price on a roadside pylon to the second they tap to pay at self-checkout, every physical touchpoint along the forecourt visit is now a digital moment. Yet for most operators, these touchpoints still function as isolated systems rather than a single connected customer journey.

This panel maps the full digital mile, from in-car navigation and pre-arrival engagement, the price pillar as the first brand statement, pump-side screens, shop entrance communication, self-order terminals, to self-checkout, and the digital signage layer that ties it all together. The discussion moves touchpoint by touchpoint, examining where the technology is mature, where the investment case is proven, and where the biggest gaps between ambition and operational reality still exist. Dwell time is a genuine commercial asset. The operators who win will be those who have stopped thinking in screens and started thinking in journeys.

Keynote | One Brand, 50 Markets, No Guesswork: SPAR’s Playbook for Retail Technology

Zsuzsa Hordai, SPAR International B.V.

Few retailers run a technology lab as large and diverse as SPAR’s: more than 13,800 stores across 50 markets, run by independent retailers who only adopt what pays back. As Head of Strategic Projects at SPAR International, Zsuzsa Hordai sees which innovations travel and which stay local. Her keynote takes delegates through real use cases from the SPAR universe. These include SPAR Ireland’s new Dublin flagship, where machine-vision self-checkout identifies basket items without barcode scanning, a first for Irish convenience retail, alongside digital deli ordering kiosks. They also include AI video detection that flags suspicious behaviour and alerts store teams in real time, now available network-wide. On the forecourt, Zsuzsa covers SPAR Express partnerships in several markets. Zsuzsa closes with a practitioner’s view on the responsible use of AI and a clear framework for turning promising pilots into scalable standards.

Keynote | Standards as Strategy: Turning Forecourt Connectivity into Commercial Advantage

Jon Thompson, IFSF

As fuel and convenience sites evolve from fuel stops into connected customer destinations, the technology stack behind the forecourt — pricing, payments, loyalty, EV charging, wet stock — is only getting more complex. This session makes the commercial case for technology integration standards as the fastest, lowest-risk route through that complexity.

Jon Thompson, Strategy Manager at the International Forecourt Standards Forum (IFSF), will explain the role that the standards body has played in the industry for over 30 years. He will share the integration architecture that shows how “plug-and-play” standards let retailers integrate best-in-breed suppliers without costly custom builds, and let suppliers reach more retail networks with less rework. He’ll also cover how the standards roadmap is tracking closely with emerging EU regulation, including the EU Data Act, and what that means for anyone operating in Europe.

Delegates will come away with a clear picture of what IFSF does and why it matters commercially. There will also be chance to hear about IFSF’s plans to refresh their strategy in the coming months — and Jon will be inviting delegates, member and non-member alike, to help shape it by joining a stakeholder group.

Panel Session | The Global Tech Compass

Moderated by Mark Wohltmann, NACS, with guests Agnieszka Bobrukiewicz, ORLEN, Rafael Hernandez, Locatium, Guy Bickerstaffe, PriceEasy, and Michel Hinfelaar, Haia Consultancy

The session opens with a worldwide perspective on where convenience and mobility retail is heading. Against the backdrop of structural pressures — labour scarcity, margin compression, and the rise of digital-first consumer expectations — delegates will hear which international markets and formats are leading the way, and what the most relevant moves elsewhere mean for EMEA operators.

Keynote | The forecourt has changed. Did fuel retail loyalty programs change?

Sami Nachawati, Comarch Loyalty

• How the forecourt has changed: where the margin comes from now, how long customers stay and why they arrive at all.
• Why most loyalty programs haven’t kept up: still built around fuel volume, in a business that no longer runs on it.
• What a modern forecourt loyalty program looks like: the principles behind it and a practical path to get there (monetise dwell time, unify identity across mobility, subscriptions, partnerships, gamification, hyper-personalisation, gig drivers, fleet drivers and the future of loyalty programs with AI)

Keynote | How Digitalisation is Transforming Customer Experience

Alicia Cruzado Lopez, Repsol

Digitalisation is reshaping customer expectations across every stage of the retail journey. Customers increasingly demand convenience, simplicity and personalised experiences, creating new opportunities for retailers to strengthen loyalty and engagement.

This session explores how Repsol is leveraging digitalisation to transform the customer experience through Waylet and Klin, its car wash network. From digital customer journeys and subscription models to data-driven insights and personalised interactions, the presentation will showcase how technology can remove friction, increase convenience and create stronger relationships with customers.

Attendees will gain practical insights into how digital tools can turn a traditional service into a differentiated experience, driving customer satisfaction, repeat visits and long-term loyalty.

Keynote |The Future of Payments: From Cards to Agentic Commerce

Neil Halls, Visa

The payments landscape is evolving at unprecedented speed. Consumer expectations, digital wallets, embedded finance, AI-driven experiences, and changing vehicle technologies are reshaping how people pay across mobility and retail ecosystems. For fuel forecourts, the implications extend far beyond accepting the next payment method.

This session explores the key payment trends influencing the forecourt industry today, including the growth of mobile payments, seamless checkout experiences, digital identities, and data-driven commerce. It then looks ahead to emerging innovations such as Agentic Commerce, where AI-powered agents can discover, select, and execute purchases on behalf of consumers.

As vehicles become increasingly connected and autonomous technologies continue to advance, what role will the forecourt play in the future customer journey? How might AI-driven purchasing decisions influence fuel, EV charging, convenience retail, and loyalty programmes? And what opportunities and challenges should forecourt operators be preparing for today?

Designed to provoke discussion rather than predict outcomes, this session will explore how the next generation of payment experiences could transform the forecourt ecosystem and what industry leaders can do now to remain relevant in an increasingly autonomous and digital world.

Day 2 | Growing and Monetising the Margin

Panel | From Fuel Stops to Customer Destinations: The Changing Face of Forecourts

Moderated by Christian Warning, with guests Niall Boland, Maxol, Anders Røe Edvardsen, Circle K, and JP Flack, PDI

A fireside conversation that steps back to take stock of the industry’s transformation from fuel-focused operations to integrated retail and energy platforms and looks forward at where technology, data and AI are taking it next. The session explores changing consumer behaviour including the impact of EV adoption on dwell time and retail opportunity, and draws on perspectives from across EMEA markets and beyond.

Keynote | The Smartest Store in the World: Global Lessons in Format Design

Dan Munford, Insight Research

A global tour of the formats redefining what convenience retail can be. Design, experience quality and artificial intelligence are converging to drive profitability in ways that are no longer confined to flagship concepts with unlimited budgets. This session showcases the sites setting the standard worldwide and draws out the commercial thinking behind them in terms that translate to everyday operations.

Panel | Footfall, Basket, Frequency: Where Tech Earns Its Keep

Hosted by Oscar Smith Diamante, Editor-In-Chief, Mobility Plaza with guests Baba Kukawa, NNPC Ltd, Dario Maldonado, Galp, and Frodi Hammer, A2i

Mobility Plaza Director Oscar Smith Diamante sits down with Baba Kukawa (NNPC Ltd), João Dinis Soares (Galp), and Frodi Hammer (A2i) to explore how technology can drive customer footfall, increase basket size, and boost visit frequency—turning innovation into measurable commercial results.

This panel will be recorded and published later as a Mobility Plaza podcast.

Keynote | Modernising the Mobility Payment Ecosystem: from Fuel Site to Omnichannel Strategy

Peter Van Nauw, Senior Director and GM, Systems and Payments EMEA, Dover Fueling Solutions

Customer expectations for speed, flexibility, and convenience are reshaping the payment experience across fuel, convenience, and mobility. Yet behind the scenes, many retailers are navigating complex payment environments, legacy infrastructure, and increasingly demanding regulatory requirements. This session explores how organisations can move from fragmented, legacy payment infrastructure towards a unified, secure, and resilient omnichannel payment ecosystem — from the payment endpoint through to transaction processing and wider site integrations. The session will examine how to design payment flows that remain available, interconnected, and secure through disruption and change, while meeting evolving compliance requirements and delivering a seamless customer experience. Drawing on practical experience and a project testimonial, the session will share lessons from modernising payment ecosystems and demonstrate how a resilient-by-design approach can help define the next generation of mobility payments.

Panel | The Orchestration Layer, Making Payments, Loyalty and Partners Work as One

Hosted by Mark Wohltmann, NACS, with guests Frederick Beckmann, Q1 Energie, Harald Pöpke, Scheidt & Bachmann, and Tal Ginat, Reins

The modern forecourt only delivers its commercial potential when payments, loyalty and partner systems operate as a single connected stack. This panel brings together technology providers and an operator voice to examine the integration choices that separate a smooth customer journey from a fragmented one and to explore how a well-constructed orchestration layer becomes a commercial advantage rather than a technical overhead.

Closing Session | The Red Line, Reconnected. Five Priorities for the Boardroom

The two days close with a synthesis that ties the programme back together. Protect margin. Integrate data. Monetise loyalty. Build retail media. Design for EV. Five priorities clearly sequenced, directly actionable, and grounded in everything the programme has covered. The closing session is designed to give every senior leader and independent owner something concrete to take back to their business. Not inspiration. Action.