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This years  Annual Irish Forecourt and Retail Convenience Awards 2018 (part of the Penton Publications group) honoured Inver’s CEO, Chris O’Callaghan with the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Chris has spent 33 years in the fuels industry.  He worked with the major oil company Chevron for 18 years, in a variety of engineering, supply, sales and management roles, working in the USA, Singapore and London, and travelled worldwide representing the company internationally.

Looking to move back to Ireland in 2004 and recognizing an opportunity to develop a large fuel import terminal on the Shannon Estuary, Chris purchased a minority shareholding in Inver Energy and took over as Managing Director. At that time Inver Energy was a black oil and coal distribution business based in Foynes. Co. Limerick. Chris diversified the business activities of the company into marine fuels and into the UK with the acquisition of Texaco’s UK fuel oil and marine business. This acquisition included a large fuels import terminal in Cardiff.

In 2006, he acquired the majority of shares in Inver and has continued to shape the progression of the company to  meet and adapt with the changing needs of the Irish fuel industry. This included moving into the Forecourt business in 2012, and the first Inver forecourt partnership began with Norman Foley. Inver is now the fastest growing forecourt network in Ireland.

In 2016 Chris commenced negotiations with strategic partners to accelerate the growth of Inver. Discussions with Greenergy led to the acquisition of Inver by Greenergy in 2017. Greenergy is a multi-national company and is UK’s largest road fuels and biofuel company. This acquisition is providing the support and resources to grow Inver further. Chris remains as head of Inver, he is the Retail Director of Greenergy’s Branded Retail business in the UK with a network of 450 forecourts, and is a director on the Greenergy board.

While accepting his award, Chris noted, ‘he was honoured and humbled by the award and the company has gone from strength to strength with thanks to the hard work and dedication of the wonderful people who work with me and also thanks to the support of our customers’. Chris closed his comments with ‘I would like to think we have nurtured something special with the Inver brand and in the community.’