Jon Thompson

Standards as Strategy: Turning Forecourt Connectivity into Commercial Advantage

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.

About Jon

Jon Thompson is Strategy Manager at the International Forecourt Standards Forum (IFSF), a role he has held since summer 2023. He is responsible for developing strategy implementation plans that reflect IFSF’s mission to drive technology commonality and interoperability in the forecourt industry.

He is a digital/IT leader with over 30 years’ experience across the commercial energy sector, spanning business and IT operations, systems design and enterprise architecture — including roles supporting Retail Technology strategy across Europe.

A champion of business-outcome-oriented architecture, Jon has spent his career translating complex business strategy into IT solutions, leading digital transformation programmes and guiding both global business executives and IT execution teams. Prior to joining IFSF, he worked as an enterprise architect supporting ExxonMobil’s global Sales & Marketing functions, with particular expertise in Downstream Oil & Gas revenue management and pricing systems — knowledge he now applies to IFSF’s forecourt technology standards work.