2026 Star Women in Convenience winner: Victoria Osuna
Victoria Osuna
Head of category intelligence and enablement, North America
Circle K | Alimentation Couche-Tard
How did you get into this business?
I started on the CPG side with Colgate-Palmolive in Mexico, where I gained valuable experience working closely with retailers and c-store chains across both Mexico and Canada. That exposure gave me a strong understanding of consumer behaviour, brand strategy and retail execution. Joining Alimentation Couche-Tard, a proudly Québec-rooted leader, felt like a natural next step and an exciting opportunity to make an even greater impact in the industry.
What are you most proud of?
Building and scaling a merchandising function from the ground up has been one of my most rewarding accomplishments. By establishing a high-performing internal team and advancing our data-driven tools, category management processes and training programs, we have generated more than $50 million in incremental gross profit while also delivering significant operational efficiencies across the business.
Biggest challenge?
Starting from scratch after relocating to Canada was one of the most defining challenges of my career. I had to adapt to a new market, navigate a different retail landscape, rebuild my professional network and take a step back before moving forward again. The experience reinforced the importance of resilience, strategic agility and strong leadership, and showed me how transferable experience, when paired with determination, can create meaningful impact.
What’s the best career advice you’ve received?
A senior female leader once told me that I could have everything I wanted—just not all at the same time. Her advice was to have a clear vision, trust myself and make intentional choices along the way.
What excites you about the future?
The resilience of the convenience channel and the essential role it plays in consumers’ everyday lives. The scale and frequency with which we connect with customers, combined with our ability to test, adapt and innovate quickly, create a unique opportunity to continuously redefine convenience and positively influence consumer behaviour.
How do you define yourself as a leader?
Leading by example, with integrity, clarity and a strong sense of accountability. I’m passionate about building strong teams and creating an environment where people feel empowered, supported and challenged to perform at their best. I believe leadership is about enabling others, setting direction, removing barriers and fostering trust, so teams can navigate complexity and deliver meaningful, sustainable impact.
Nomination highlights
Victoria Osuna’s transformational leadership and strategic vision have made a global impact on merchandising excellence at Circle K. As global head of merchandising excellence, she leads initiatives that influence merchandising strategy and execution across 16,800 stores worldwide, driving stronger sales, operational consistency and customer experience. Under her leadership, the merchandising excellence function has evolved into a highly impactful, data-driven organization focused on innovation and execution. She has led major enterprise initiatives, including the RELEX Space & Floor Project, one of the largest merchandising transformations in North America, helping establish the future structure of Circle K’s space management organization and governance model. Her work is expected to contribute approximately $50 million in incremental revenue by FY28. She also successfully transitioned the Data-Driven Merchandising program from a consultant-led model to a fully internal capability, building and leading a high-performing global team of 26 professionals across four countries. This transformation generated significant operational efficiencies, including $8 million in OPEX savings in BP25 and projected cumulative savings of $30 million through FY28. Beyond exemplary results, she is recognized for her people-first leadership style and commitment to collaboration.
Click here for a full list of the 2026 Star Women in Convenience winners
Be there when the industry comes together in-person to celebrate at the Star Women in Convenience Awards Event.