Connections Live 2026 is the perfect spot to learn practical everyday skills. But don’t underestimate the strategic value of tapping into broader insights and best practices from a wide range of industry experts.
We’ve packed this year’s Industry Leadership track with six sessions for all the thinkers and disruptors shaping where fuel and convenience is heading. We’ll explore the questions you must ask about AI, energy transformation, consumer behavior, economics, security, and what inclusive leadership actually looks like in practice.
If you’re wondering what comes next for your organization, here’s your chance to gain:
- Forward-looking intelligence: Real signals on where the industry is heading, not where it’s been
- Clear, actionable steps: Frameworks, strategies, and priorities you can bring back to your team immediately after the conference
- Community and connection: Conversations with peers who are dealing with the same challenges as you
Here’s what we’ve lined up, with one session on Monday, August 24 and five sessions on Tuesday, August 25.
You can view our featured speakers here.
1. The Next Frontier of AI-Driven Business Transformation
AI is already here and reshaping how you operate, make decisions, and compete. But you must deploy AI purposefully. This session cuts through the noise to focus on what actually matters from a both an operational and strategic perspective.
What you’ll learn:
- How AI transforms business models, from intelligent IT to advanced analytics
- Practical criteria for evaluating where and how to integrate AI
- The organizational conditions for successful AI adoption
Speakers:
2. Reinventing the Energy Supply Chain for 2030
The energy supply chain is becoming a continuous, data-driven network—unlocking new levels of visibility and control. This session brings that transformation to life with examples of integrated platforms across terminal automation, fuel pricing, ERP, cardlock, and payments.
What you’ll learn:
- How digital intelligence and integrated platforms boost efficiency and control
- What’s working, and what it took to get there
- Clarity on the priorities and operational shifts for a future-ready supply chain
Speakers:
3. Lessons in Leadership for Everyone from Women in Convenience
Discover lessons from influential leaders across convenience, mobility, and fuel. This session reflects real-world experiences: decisions that worked, ones that didn’t, and what leaders wish someone had told them earlier.
What you’ll learn:
- How diverse and inclusive leadership drives innovation and growth
- Actionable strategies proven in actual deployments
- Why community matters in driving overall industry success
Speakers:
4. Insights on Economics and Federal Regulation for the Future of Fuel
The macro-economic environment has never been more consequential for fuel marketers, retailers, and suppliers. This session will give you a clearer picture of what’s coming next and how to factor it into your planning, before it catches you off guard.
What you’ll learn:
- The policy dynamics impacting how your business operates
- What regulatory trends may affect your planning, investment, and operational strategy
- A clear sense of where and when to be more proactive
Speakers:
5. Understanding the 2030 Consumer
AI-driven personalization, shifting mobility patterns, and new media behaviors are quietly reshaping the consumer experience. This session is your chance to get ahead of those shifts before they become the new baseline your competitors are already designing for.
What you’ll learn:
- A vivid picture of the major forces redefining tomorrow’s shoppers
- What’s influencing brand discovery, loyalty, and purchase decisions right now
- Strategic adjustments to ensure your business stays relevant
Speakers:
6. Smarter Defenses for a Smarter Threat Landscape
Traditional security strategies can’t keep up with the current threat landscape of the AI era. This session focuses on what you can do to create a clearer security mindset—with a concrete set of priorities to act on.
What you’ll learn:
- How AI is transforming both the threat landscape and modern defense strategies
- Insights into practices that build genuine resilience versus compliance checkboxes
- A prioritized set of steps to modernize your security approach
Speakers:
Your seat is waiting
Don’t miss these Industry Leadership sessions—register now to make them an integral part of your Connections Live 2026 experience. If you haven’t already locked in these sessions, be sure to update your agenda today.
