In this series, we interview CEOs, finding out how they got to where they are now. This month, we meet Ciara Foxton from Circle K Ireland …
Arriving at Circle K’s Dublin office, I find CEO Ciara Foxton finishing off an informal catch-up in the café area. The headquarters has a distinctive collegiate energy which, after an hour catching up, I realise is a reflection of her leadership.
Originally from a small rural community in Armagh, Ciara grew up the eldest of six – four brothers and one sister – in a busy home with a strong work ethic. Her parents ran a pub that had been passed down through generations; her mum had previously been a nurse and her dad once studied accountancy. Ciara credits her parents as role models: ambition and hard graft were virtually in her DNA. Life at home revolved around family, community and GAA, with her brother going on to win an All-Ireland with Armagh in 2002. That grounding undoubtedly stood to her and, as she admits, there was no “great master plan … I worked really hard and invested myself in every job I’ve ever had”.
Ciara left home to study accounting and finance at the University of Glasgow, which she says were four great years where she made lifelong friends. Looking back, it was the foundation for her career across finance roles in Diageo, Kefron, Arnotts and Lifestyle Sports. The one constant at home, in college and at work was that she loved connecting with people – something that remains central to how she leads today.
She joined Circle K in 2018 as Senior Manager in FP&A, attracted by the opportunity to work in an international business after years in indigenous roles. Promoted to Finance Director only three years later and then appointed Managing Director in 2024, she describes the move as “unexpected but exciting”. She credits much of her success to mentors along the way who quietly backed her, often before she fully backed herself. One piece of advice stayed with her – if you want the opportunity, raise your hand – which is advice that she now regularly passes on to her own team.
The scale of the business is impressive. Circle K Ireland serves approximately 1.5 million customers every week, operates 175 company-owned sites and a further 250 dealer partner locations across the country, employing over 2,500 people nationwide.
She acknowledges that “retail is not for everyone as the pace is fast and demanding, but hugely rewarding”. Circle K operates in a fiercely competitive market and, according to her, “maintaining standards at our scale is no small feat”.
She’s proud of the fact that Ireland holds strategic weight within the global parent company, Couche-Tard, where Ireland is viewed as both a significant revenue contributor and an innovation hub. “We’re often a test bed,” Ciara explains. “Customer expectations in Ireland are high, competition is intense and our teams execute brilliantly. That gives the wider group valuable insights into retail evolution.”
“We need to evolve with customer preferences and increase the healthy options on offer for on-the-go and take-home convenience customers.”
As the forecourt model evolves, growth now comes from food innovation, convenience retail, multi-energy fuelling and digital engagement. Time-poor customers looking for value mean that “convenience” today is not just about speed, but about trust – in consistency of product availability and transparent pricing. Cost-of-living pressures have driven customer demand for meal deals and offers. “People aren’t necessarily trading down,” Ciara says. “They just want to feel confident that they’re getting value.”
Operating across both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland adds another layer of complexity. Fuel pricing is shaped by different government’s policy, including excise, carbon tax and biofuel obligations, and divergence between UK and ROI policies has created notable price gaps, particularly for border stores. Her strategic focus for the next three to five years is to position Circle K as the best convenience retailer in Ireland, not simply the biggest. She believes that is about building loyalty through consistently high service and standards, while accelerating the transition to multi-energy to meet growing customer demand. Ciara is pragmatic; “The models differ, but I’m fortunate to have exceptional teams supporting me.”
In a business of this size, crises are inevitable. She references recent flooding events and increasing weather disruption, alongside supply challenges and regulatory change. When asked how she conducts herself in a crisis, she is direct: “Stay calm, get the facts, act quickly and communicate clearly.” She believes that when things go wrong, you often see people at their best.
Life outside work sounds just as busy. Married to Paul, her number one supporter, they have two children, Sarah (13) and Charlie (11). “It works – everything in our house is teamwork.”
She is still very much the eldest daughter and big sister, and part of close friendship groups that are important to her. How does she have fun? She laughs, “Time with friends, family, switching off properly.” In a business that operates 24/7, downtime is a must. “I have gotten better at switching off at weekends and holidays to reset.” She also does strength and conditioning exercise, which she enjoys and says makes her feel healthier.
Walking away, it strikes me that in such a highly pressurised retail industry, the business is clearly moving forward at pace with the right woman at the helm.
