Steve Dacus, Incoming CEO, Seven & i Holdings: It looks like I’ll be living on an airplane from now on.

Incoming CEO of Japanese convenience store giant Seven & i Holdings Steve Dacus spoke to the press, indicating the company wants to strengthen its overseas expansion.

Dacus said that the company will strengthen its convenience store business in Europe and South America, as they don’t have a presence in those regions.

He also said that they are looking to strengthen their business in Japan and North America as well.

Steve Dacus, Incoming CEO, Seven & i Holdings: I think that the model we developed in Mexico, which is working quite well, will definitely be successful in South America. I think there are more business opportunities than we could have ever imagined.

The company also wants to expand the number of restaurant-anchored convenience stores, which are performing well in North America, from about 1,000 to 1,200 locations.

On the other hand, it declined to say anything about the takeover offer from Canadian convenience store giant Alimentation Couche-Tard.

As for partnerships with competitors or collaboration with other industries, the company wants to concentrate on the growth of existing shops for now.

Seven & i Holdings did say they would consider joining forces with rivals or acquiring them if good opportunities presented themselves.